Passionate about food and pubs and having worked in other highly rated food pubs in Kent, it was a natural progression for David to take over the FitzWalter Arms in September 2006, when it was made available by Shepherd Neame. After a lot of hard work the domestic kitchen was made battle worthy and dining room was given a much needed refurbishment.
Having previously been a waiter and a barman David took it upon himself to train as chef and finished his three year professional chefs course at Canterbury College in 2001, with a six month work placement at "Les Hetres" restaraunt in Normandy, working under Michelin starred chef, Bertrand Warin. From there he took a job at the popular Whitstable Oyster Company and quickly worked up to the position of Head Chef, a position held until he left in December 2002 to start work at the two Michelin starred Mayfair restaraunt, The Square, where he fine tuned his craft.
In August 2004 David went to work at The Granville near Canterbury as sous-chef under head chef Jim Shave who instilled the need for great ingredients cooked simply. David was part of the team that earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for The Granville the following year. In December 2005 David swapped places with one of the chefs at The Granville's sister restaraunt, the Michelin starred Sprtsman in Seasalter. Here under executive head chef Steve Harris and head chef Dan Flavel, David learnt of restraint and refinement (not to mention an introduction to the world of fine Burgundy Wines!).
After five years of working as a chef for others David felt it was time to go it alone...