As a guiding force behind the San Diego Culinary Institute since 2003, David's love of teaching and passion for the culinary arts has shaped his vision for SDCI, its curriculum, and the standards of excellence with which the Institute has become synonymous.
David's love of education began in college and led him to teaching assignments in California and Italy, where he taught university students as well as corporate audiences. He has appeared as a lecturer in seminars all over the country, speaking on a variety of topics.
He got his first taste of the culinary world as a kid, working in his dad's iconic Silicon Valley restaurant and catering company, Meyberg's, which introduced him to the frenetic art of kitchen operations. Much later, he performed marketing and managed production for the Rhino Chasers microbrew brand; however, the recent focus of his career has been in marketing and business management.
Immediately prior to joining SDCI, David worked in the field of entertainment marketing for agencies in Los Angeles and Milan. He played the key role in creating web sites for Maverick Records and Alanis Morisette (among others), and in organizing cross-promotional deals between Maverick artists and Pepsi, which resulted in a series of commercial spots that aired on MTV. He developed accounts with clients such as Island/DefJam Records, Disney, Mattel, Sony Pictures, Paramount, Atlantic Records, Warner Bros. and others.
His work was reviewed and recognized by outlets such as CNN, the New York Times, VH-1, and Entertainment Weekly; he earned a Clio award, and led his agency team to earn another the following year.
Since joining SDCI, David has led the effort to expand the campus and double its classroom space in 2004 and has presided over a tripling in enrollment. He has recruited key staff — most importantly Chef Larry Lewis. But most importantly, David has taken Harold's vision to a whole new level by spearheading the development of the Commis Culinary™ program.
David speaks Italian with near-native ability and makes himself understood with his rusty version of Spanish. While not a chef himself, David shares a love of cooking with his students and deeply appreciates the opportunity to learn more about the art alongside his students every day.