David’s passion for food began in his grandparents’ Mexican restaurant, where he discovered at an early age that great meals have the power to bring people together. At just 15 years old, he stepped into his first professional kitchen, beginning a culinary journey that would span more than two decades.

Throughout his career, David has trained alongside some of Colorado’s most respected culinary professionals, including James Beard Award-winning chef Jennifer Jasinski, acclaimed chef Lon Symensma, Mary Nguyen, Merlin Verrier, and Brad Yard. His experience has taken him through many of Denver’s premier restaurants, including Avelina, Stoic & Genuine, Bistro Vendôme, Cooper Lounge, North Italia, Ocean Prime, Olive & Finch, and American Samurai, giving him the opportunity to master an extraordinary range of techniques, cuisines, and service styles.

Beyond refining his craft in award-winning kitchens, David has led culinary programs as Executive Chef for multiple restaurant concepts, including YaYa’s Euro Bistro and Elevated Q, while helping open new restaurants, developing original menus from the ground up, building kitchen systems, and mentoring culinary teams. He has collaborated with Samuel Adams on specialty beer-paired dinners and developed expertise in French, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mediterranean, barbecue, seafood, and modern molecular gastronomy.

David brings that depth of experience to every event The Next Course creates. Whether preparing an intimate private chef dinner, an elegant wedding reception, or a large corporate celebration, his philosophy remains the same: every menu should be thoughtfully crafted, every ingredient should have a purpose, and every guest should leave remembering not just the meal, but the experience