Daniel’s exposure to the restaurant business began at age 6, where he helped load wood, turn meat, and wash trucks at his uncle’s BBQ stand on King’s Road in Jacksonville, FL. His first cook position was as a short-order cook for a mom-and-pop establishment named Famous Sandwiches, and he held the position for 10 years. Daniel then elected to stay in Jacksonville and attend the culinary program at Florida State College of Jacksonville, where he was heavily influenced and mentored by local esteemed chefs Ron Wolf, Betty Jimmo, and Robert Bouman.

Daniel then spent close to a year in Tampa at the Seminole Hard Rock refining some of what he had learned in school, and staging as much as possible in his free time. With a growing family, Daniel decided to move back to Jacksonville, and assumed the position of Chef on one of CSX’s esteemed Executive Passenger Trains. From there, he went on to take the helm at Candy Apple Cafe as the Executive Sous Chef. In charge of all things food, Daniel was strategic in keeping Candy Apple Cafe one of downtown Jacksonville’s premier dining destinations during his tenure.

His relationships made throughout Jacksonville, coupled with his passion to provide his guests with the highest quality ingredients possible, helped Daniel earn his position as Chef de Cuisine Position at Congaree and Penn. He now develops specialty menus for private dinners weekly, larger corporate events, and on-site catering at the farm.