Anything But Bland

Bland. When you think of food, if the word bland is the first thing that comes to mind, it probably wasn’t the most memorable meal. Unless you’re having a meal prepared by me, Chef Dave Bland! I know what you’re thinking, “How did I, a man whose family name is Bland, become a chef?” Here’s my story: My first job, at age sixteen, was as a prep cook at a local St. Augustine eatery. This is where I cut off the tip of my thumb with a cleaver while prepping coleslaw. During a six year stint at a chain restaurant, I decided (with my future wife’s prodding) to attend culinary school. Upon graduation, we got married and moved to Orlando. I worked my way up into the Executive Chef position at a fine dining Italian restaurant in Downtown Disney, where I was employed for 10 years. Then a whirlwind eighteen months working as the Travolta’s private chef which brings me here and now I’m 'On Top of the World' in Ocala, Florida! I’m only 41 but I’ve been in the business for 25 years!

Mission

The purpose of this blog is to create a diary of my Culinary experiences and to include some kitchen philosophies and recipes as I create them. I will also go into some background into how I became interested in food and what helped me to develop as a chef.
People seem to have a missunderstanding of what being a Chef really means. A cook prepares recipes and can be skilled at food preparation, but hasn't developed the creativity to make new recipes. A Chef combines the knowledge, with the creativity. Then in a restaurant, instructs others to cook the items he has designed. I think the challenge is more related to hiring, training and developing employees, than the creation of recipes and menus. The kitchen drama can be entertaining but also tiresome and take away from the purpose of putting out great food and creating excellent guest experiences.