I was surprised and honored that David asked me to write a forward for his book. Our association began when, out of the blue, Dave posted a request on my Facebook page to come meet me and cook with me in Thailand.
David’s book is about the life-long journey we all undertake, where “One never stops learning from the moment of birth until death.” It tells the story of his journey through life as an aspiring chef, and gave me more insight into the makeup of this remarkable man. Starting with his determination “to not lose face” in the culinary world in Amsterdam and leading to standing up and being counted on in a great variety of times of adversity and adventure.
David, through perseverance and hard work, gained the respect of chefs, fellow trainees, and many contemporaries in a very short period of time. Concurrently, in the midst of all these experiences, he is still able to analyze and understand himself and the work ethic of the chef profession, knowledge he later applies in a variety of kitchens, organizing and structuring their operations. The humor in it reflected the person I met and worked with in Thailand.
For my part, despite being much older chef than David, our paths and passion about life and cooking run parallel. All I remember when I went to chef school was to learn, to absorb everything like a sponge and hopefully, with that knowledge, I would gain employment that would allow me to grow as a chef. I must admit I am not as astute, introspective, or logical as he is. He is both an artist and an entrepreneur; while I am more of an artist than the other.
One thing we both share is this passion for food and for learning. I’m sure we both hope that we can become better people and better chefs. For me, my goal has finally dawned on me, which is to represent my country’s culinary heritage and to be the spokesperson for it. Knowing David as I do, he will generate a visionary role no matter where he is, and that role will expand along with his desire.
I think the most important lesson is to lead your life with passion and to follow your dream with hard-work and the ability to withstand all the impediments along the way, as David clearly has done. Otherwise, I don’t think you’ve actually lived.
David and I will have more experiences together, as we are both continuously inquisitive about cooking, people and cultures. He has the ability to assimilate what is most genuine about another culture and cuisine, and with full respect for it, transform it into something new.
As we have no idea where this leads and where the final destination will be, I take comfort in knowing that at least we’re heading in an important direction with our passion and love for cooking—that necessary activity that can reach the heights of art. David’s balance between logical and astute self-awareness make him successful as an entrepreneur and as a chef.
Best Wishes,
Siri