Behind the Pass: Chef David Viana

Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge, New Jersey, is more than a restaurant. It is part chef’s counter, part interactive dining room, and part recreational cooking school. It’s a place where guests become friends—with each other and with the staff—because Heirloom Kitchen is building community in its generous open space lined with cookbooks, contemporary paintings, and shelves of artisan tableware in the boutique.    

On the day we visited, the GM was handling excited text messages in a group chat of active cooking students. The next month’s class list was about to drop that afternoon, and this tight-knit group of participants was buzzing about which classes they would take together.  

Chef David Viana and his team of cooks get intimately involved in these classes; sometimes the lead is from the BOH, or it might be a guest chef, a cuisine (India, Puerto Rico, Tuscany, Basque), a specific dish (dumpling, pasta, tomato sauce), or a seasonal subject (what to do with all those apples). These intimate hands-on classes bring participants right into the action, as they cook alongside the pros and dine together at a long farmhouse table.  This is how a cooking hobby can become a lifestyle of learning, exploring, and sharing—precisely what Chef David wants food to do. 

A Chef Shaped by Heritage 

Chef David Viana has built a reputation as one of New Jersey’s most exciting culinary voices. He was born and raised in Newark’s vibrant Portuguese immigrant community, where food is the center of life, and butchers, fishmongers, restaurants, and markets keep the old world alive. David grew up surrounded by the flavors and customs that still influence his cooking today. 

He often credits his grandmother, Isaura, with helping shape his early relationship with food and inspiring his dishes. That foundation of family, culture, and memory gave Chef David a cooking style that feels both highly personal and thoughtfully refined.  

Over the years, Chef David trained and worked in acclaimed kitchens including Mesa Grill, Eleven Madison Park, Marea, and Villa Joya in Portugal. But in 2016, Chef David was at loose ends and thinking about quitting the industry. Then he had a conversation that changed the direction of his life. Neilly Robinson had abandoned the fashion industry in 2013 to open a cooking school and retail boutique in her hometown of Old Bridge, NJ. She was also thinking about changing direction; both were at a crossroads.  

By combining their efforts, they created a brand-new hybrid. Chef David agreed to teach the cooking courses if he could have a restaurant/supper club a few nights a week in the well-designed space—and the restaurant era of Heirloom Kitchen began.  

The Food & Philosophy 

Chef David’s cooking quickly attracted attention, including strong local reviews and national recognition, like Esquire’s coveted “Best New Restaurants” list. In 2018 and 2026, he was nominated for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic by the James Beard Foundation, and he also appeared on Top Chef Season 16. 

Today, the prix fixe menu allows Chef David and his team to take their time with each dish and reflects seasonal ingredients and local sourcing. That approach gives the food a sense of freshness and surprise while staying grounded in technique. Guests can expect dishes that are thoughtfully plated, deeply flavorful, and designed to highlight the best ingredients available. 

The menu evolves like the seasons actually do, with one dish changing out every week, rather than a full menu change. It’s been 10 years, and no dish has been repeated. Once they serve it, that dish is retired. Only one item is always on the menu: “David’s Duck”—a seared D’Artagnan Rohan duck reimagined with unique accompaniments. On the day we visited, Chef David made the current iteration with crispy eggplant, baba ghanoush, labneh, lentils, dukkah, and harissa duck jus.  

Making Good Trouble 

Neilly and David have put Central Jersey on the culinary map. Their hard work and creativity have grown into a restaurant group called Good Trouble Hospitality. As much as they grow, the pair are rooted in family and culture. Lita, their Iberian restaurant with its sister bar, La Otra is named after David’s mother, and Judy & Harry’s bar and restaurant inside The St. Laurent hotel in Asbury Park is named for Neilly’s parents.   

Together, Neilly and David are redefining the industry by breaking that wall between the back of the house and the guests, and at Lita, by cross training the staff. Every week, FOH and BOH staff rotate; all non-management team members start at the same base salary and split tips evenly. This iconoclastic model prioritizes equity and eliminates the industry’s FOH/BOH hierarchy. It's that kind of idealism made practical that shapes everything Chef David does.  

From playful yet deeply meaningful dishes, executed with skill and creativity, to the art on the walls and the approachable dining room that almost feels like someone’s home, David and Neilly have created something vital and inspiring. Heirloom Kitchen exudes warmth, inclusivity, and connection. It is a completely innovative restaurant that challenges the status quo, but feels personal, polished, and unmistakably rooted in the chef’s story.