Dan has been in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, but his love of all things food goes back much further. Steeped in a culture of gastronomy from a young age — one set of his grandparents owned a Jewish deli in The Bronx, NY and the other set came from large Italian and Greek families — Dan developed a deep knowledge and love for cooking that he has carried into his professional endeavors. Having sampled cuisine on 5 continents, more than anything, he enjoys exploring food & drink trends both old and new and looking for ways to add a twist to traditional and timeless offerings.

Originally from South Florida, Dan’s restaurant career has taken him to New York, the Florida Keys, and now the Florida Panhandle, which he has called home since 2016. He has been the proprietor of a steakhouse, run an upscale pizza restaurant, and the COO of a Chef-owned restaurant group where he helped develop, launch, and operate several unique concepts including a beach-front restaurant, an up-cycled shipping container bar, and a frozen cocktail walk-up to name a few. He currently owns several restaurants in the 30a Area.

Some of his more notable career highlights include being chosen  to travel with the USAF to the Middle East to feed our troops at five bases in four countries, leading a team to cook for The Florida Governor’s Inauguration Dinner, and being part of a team that cooked at the famed James Beard House in NYC, twice.

To serve his community, Dan has been a member of the Dune Lakes Elementary School Improvement Board since 2017 and is currently on the board of the Seaside Schools as well as the Marketing & Communications Committee of the Walton County Tourism Department. Previously, Dan served as a Trustee for Pt. Washington United Methodist Church and was the Chair of the Vision & Mission Committee for Dune Lakes Elementary School. Currently, he is the President of the Northwest Florida Chapter and member of the state board of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, the largest organization of its kind in the country.

When he is not pursuing his passion, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, the outdoors, and is an avid fitness enthusiast. He and his wife, Joannah, have three children.