Meet the new chef of Crook’s Corner, the third in the storied restaurant’s history

Posted Oct 19, 2018
As Friday dinner service winds down, Bill Smith and his newfound protege, Justin Burdett, sit at the Crook’s Corner bar. In January, Burdett will become the third chef to lead the Crook’s kitchen, replacing Smith, an award-winning chef and author who will step out of the kitchen after more than 25 years. Smith took over from founder Bill Neal, an icon of Southern food. (Durham Herald-Sun)

Related: Campus Connections

UNC’s App Redesign Drives Student Engagement
What was once an underused mobile app at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been rebuilt to serve as a central hub...
Wed May 20, 2026

What's the difference between each UNC merch shop on Franklin Street?
Franklin Street is lined with restaurants, coffee shops and to a large extent, apparel stores. But as a student and longtime University of North...
Sun May 17, 2026

Eric Church delivers 'greatest commencement speech ever' in viral address to UNC graduates
Country music star Eric Church earned praise for delivering the "greatest" commencement speech with his now-viral address to UNC graduates, after working on the piece...
Sat May 16, 2026

Lucas: Eric Church delivers a Commencement to remember
Graduation is a fabulous time for highly accomplished strangers to deliver heartfelt and transformative advice. They stop in for the weekend, go to a couple...
Thu May 14, 2026