“I’m a foodie first, and a chef second”- David Kay
A love of food has always characterized David growing up. Always wanting to try new things (and as much of it as possible), he decided to make a career out of food at the age of 13. Starting out at Chung’s Catering on Maxfield Avenue right after leaving high school at 15, he began formal culinary training at the Runaway Bay HEART Hotel & Training Institute a few years later, and eventually working in the Isabella’s restaurant under Master Chef Dennis McIntosh.
From there he drew influence and gained experience from the many experienced chefs that he had been exposed to during that time, at HEART, and in the Culinary Federation of Jamaica.
The love of food still drives him today, and he believes anyone who makes a career out of food must have a true passion for it. Whether he is cooking, writing about, or photographing food, his focus is primarily the bountiful and diverse produce of his home country Jamaica.
While he is still under the discerning eye of Chef McIntosh, he is building his own name and brand- Azuri Catering- focusing on what is fresh, local, and in season, to create memorable culinary experiences.
Achievements
World Skills Competition as a talent demonstrator in 2010
Competitor in the Taste of Jamaica Culinary Competition in 2012
Winner of Rainforest Seafood Seafood Culinary competition in 2012