Ferenc Butka is photographed behind the bar at CQ’s Restaurant in Harbour Town.
If Ferenc Bukta had his druthers, you wouldn’t be reading about him in this magazine. It’s not that the recently anointed executive chef at CQ’s has anything to hide, it’s just that he’s not the kind of chef who seeks out the spotlight.
“I’m just not that type of person,” he said, demonstrating an effortless humility that, ironically, makes you only want to know more about him. “I’m just a guy in the kitchen. I want to cook.”
Perhaps it’s his upbringing that has gifted Bukta with the all-too-rarely-paired assets of talent and humility. Born in Hungary during communist rule, Bukta describes his childhood as far more idyllic than perhaps Americans view the Soviet lifestyle. The cold-war-era propaganda that life under Russian rule was all bread lines and forced labor doesn’t reflect a place that Bukta found filled with family and friends.
“It wasn’t as bad as you think,” he said. “There were a lot of programs for children, that’s for sure. They had to build that big Russian army.”
The CQ’s Bouillabaisse: Mussels, fresh fish, shrimp and tomatoes in a white wine sauce
And bread lines? Not if Bukta’s grandmother is any indication.
“My grandma always cooked huge meals for Christmas,” he said. “And the food she made … so many desserts, four to five entrées, cheese she’d make right there in the kitchen….”
Stretching his arms out to indicate the whole of the quiet dining area behind the bar area at CQ’s, Bukta added, “This whole room would be full of the food she’d make. I didn’t realize it as a kid, but now that I work in the kitchen I ask, ‘How did she do that?’”
Having just turned 91 last month, Bukta’s grandma is keeping her secrets. But one need only spend a single night dining at CQ’s to know that she must have let a few gems slip to her grandson. Because while he and his staff can still fill that room with delicious food, and do so nearly every night, it’s not about the quantity for Bukta as much as the quality.
Roasted Lamb Shank: Parsnip purée, baby carrots and rosemary demi-glace
“I like to do things the right way,” he said. “If I want to do something, I want to do it right. It might take a little longer, but I know the result will be better than if I cut corners.”
While he’d never call it a philosophy, that sums up Bukta’s views on cooking as well as anything else. Every dish Bukta and his team prepares starts with that same accept-no-shortcuts underpinning. It’s something that was instilled in Bukta first in his native Hungary, where he received his degree in engineering, and in every kitchen since.
His culinary journey began when he was just 24 years old, where he was granted a work visa to come to America and work in the kitchen at Sea Pines Resort. One of his first stops was the Harbour Town Bakery, where he met his wife, Jessica. From then on, his home was here. Not just on Hilton Head Island, but in the kitchen.
“I’ve learned a lot of things from a lot of different people,” he said.
When his stint at Sea Pines wrapped up, Bukta found himself a part of the Lowrey Group family. He would spend 11 years at Old Fort Pub, learning the ropes of fine dining and gaining immense on-the-job experience. And while he relished the newfound responsibility, he found himself wanting to take a step back following the death of his father. He would spend four and a half years at Flora’s Italian Café, working under Branco and Flora Raiac.
It was a much-needed respite for Bukta, but it only fueled the fire when he was invited back to take the executive chef spot at CQ’s. When asked what excited him most about taking on the job, he said it was the challenge.
“I never was an executive chef. There was always somebody above me, and I wanted to see if I could,” he said. “Plus, I had worked with Justo (sous chef Justo Rivera) at Old Fort Pub. He was just 15 when he started working there.”
Another part of the appeal lies in the fact that, well, it’s CQ’s.
“There’s so much history in this place, you know?” Bukta said. “There are not many places around here where you can have that.”
With that great history comes great expectations, a legacy of fine dining that Bukta now stewards. “I did a little tweak here and there, but there are some dishes that needed to stay,” he said. “The tuna has been on the menu forever. I did something a little different with it, but not much.”
Ultimately, he’s not someone who self-aggrandizes. He’s not a chef who will step into a place like CQ’s and make any radical changes. What he’s added has been subtle—a few additions here and there, a different take on the filet which has proven wildly popular, a handful of Hungarian wines on the wine list. While he can fill a room with delicious food just like his grandma, he knows one simple truth when it comes to food.
The best dish on the menu is the one you like most. “I’m not going to say I know everything. I’ll listen to people’s opinions because I’m cooking for them. I’m not cooking for myself,” he said. “But I’ve worked my way up and can cook some pretty good food.”
Just a few months into his tenure, it’s clear that patrons agree. You can find out for yourself by stopping by.
CQ’s is located at 140-A Lighthouse Rd. on Hilton Head Island. For more information, visit cqsrestaurant.com or call (843) 671-2779.
