Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 1, 2026

David Bertok

David Bertok is a German composer and pianist known for his work in film and television. In 2025, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special for his work on the Netflix series Chef's Table.

Last revised
Jul 1, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
345 w
Citations
7
Source
David Bertok
Born1981 (age 44–45)
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
OriginMunich, Germany
GenresFilm score, concert music, progressive rock, neoclassical
OccupationsComposer, pianist, orchestrator, producer
Years active2008–present
Websitewww.davidbertok.com

David Bertok (born 1981) is a German composer and pianist known for his work in film and television. In 2025, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special for his work on the Netflix series Chef's Table (specifically the episode "José Andrés").1

Early life and education

Bertok was born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). He studied classical piano and composition, later attending the University of Southern California (USC) where he graduated from the Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television (SMPTV) program.2

Career

Bertok's career includes work as a composer for independent films and documentary series. His work on the Netflix series Chef's Table earned him a Primetime Emmy Award in 2025.345

In addition to his film work, Bertok has contributed to the progressive rock and metal scenes. He was a member of the German band Subsignal, appearing on the albums Touchstones (2011), Paraíso (2013) and A Poetry of Rain (2023) which reached the German Media Control Charts.67

Discography

With Subsignal:

  • Beautiful & Monstrous (2009)
  • Touchstones (2011)
  • Out There Must Be Something (2012, Live DVD)
  • Paraíso (2013)

With Dreamscape:

Own compositions:

References

References

  1. "David Bertok - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins". Television Academy. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  2. Davis, Clayton (15 June 2025). "Interview: Composer David Bertok Took Inspiration from José Andrés for Chef's Table: Legends". Awards Radar. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  3. Watercutter, Angela (August 2025). "Chef's Table: Legends Composer David Bertok on Scoring for José Andrés". No Film School. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  4. Licuria, Rob (2025-08-11). "'Chef's Table' composers Duncan Thum and David Bertok on the artistry and philosophy of 4 world-renowned chefs". Gold Derby. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
  5. Grein, Paul (2025-09-08). "Kendrick Lamar, 2025 Grammys, Barack Obama Win on Night 2 of 2025 Creative Arts Emmys". Billboard. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
  6. "Subsignal – Touchstones". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
  7. "Subsignal – Paraiso". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
External links