David Johnson graduated with honors (3.71 GPA) from The Culinary Institute of America in 1989. Before and since then David has apprenticed and worked at many top-level restaurants, catering operations and numerous other hospitality industry positions all over America. From New York to Los Angeles and Wisconsin to the Carolinas David has gleaned the regional bounties of the best of modern American
and International Cuisine.

David's cooking career started at the age of 5 in his grandmother's kitchen as chief spoon licker. He also did volunteer work in an industrial kitchen that fed 300 people 3 times daily at the age of 10 (see photo lower right). His first industry job was at the age of 14 busting suds in the pot sink for an upscale French restaurant called Andrea's in Madison, Wisconsin. Since then he has never looked back in a career that has spanned a quarter of a century.

David's interest in food and cooking also extends to research, planning, presentation, cost control, sanitation, public demonstration and teaching. He has prepared and styled food for the television show Beverly Hills 90210 (he even appeared in the background of a scene as "special talent") and for advertising in magazines for several West Coast Advertising Agencies. He has taught classes for UCLA Extension Culinary Arts Program, Wisconsin Union Mini-Courses, and currently for Dybdahl's Classic Kitchens and Cabinets of Madison, Wisconsin.

For more in depth information on key elements in David's background please check out the links below:

• Culinary Institute of America
  Hyde Park, New York
• More Than a Mouthful, Inc.
  Los Angeles, California
• Harris Teeter Grocery Stores
  Charlotte, North Carolina
• UCLA Extension, Culinary Arts
  Westwood, California
• Current & Past Activities
  Madison, Wisconsin