David Denis, Le Mistral

Food. It’s been the central ingredient in Chef David’s life from the beginning, fueling his passion for creating and cooking. At the ripe old age of 17, he finished his first French culinary school, and continued with more culinary education while juggling nights and weekend work at a local four-star inn.

A glamorous gig soon came calling and David found himself training at a glitzy hotel in Cannes. Ah, the Côte d’Azur. Such sacrifices an aspiring chef must make! And it paid off. At a mere 20 years old, David became head chef at a notable restaurant in the French Alps where he was the one-man wonder preparing food and managing the establishment’s finances.

More opportunity came knocking, this time in Switzerland. It was an interesting arrangement. Nine months of consecutive work (due to Swiss work rules) and seasonal work in St. Tropez. Yes, it was the lure of the Côte d’Azur once again. There were big celebrity names — the likes of Gloria Estefan, Sylvester Stallone, Tina Turner and the L’Oreal family — all of whom hired David as a private chef.

Gaining an admirable reputation, David attracted the interest of a prominent Houston family who also wanted his talent in their kitchen. For five years, David created banquets and private parties at the family’s homes around the world. He learned to adapt his recipes to different ingredients available in each exotic locale, while meeting the family’s special requests.

Eager to share his knowledge and talent, David went back to school, this time as an instructor at the Alain and Marie LeNôtre Culinary Institute in Houston. A year later, he opened Le Mistral, offering some of his students real-life, hands-on opportunities. He’s been a perpetually busy guy ever since, cooking and consulting for upscale Houston restaurants, co-owning Foody’s Gourmet French Bakery and the eclectic Artisans Cuisine & Savoir-Faire, as well as collaborating on recipes and contributions for two books. No doubt the upcoming chapters of David’s future will promise to be just as fascinating.