#94 Chef Daniel Ben-David, passionate about music and food - a podcast by Planetary Gigs Society

Chef Daniel Ben-David is currently a chef at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego and has a passion for music, art, and cooking. His father was a chef growing up in South Africa, and music was always playing in their house and at parties. Chef Daniel says that when you put music and food together it becomes more of a unity rather than an event and it is very natural. Chef says there is almost always music playing in kitchens, and the chefs and food preparers often sing to enhance the rhythmic chopping and sounds of cooking. There is always sound and rhythm with people working and creating, says Chef Daniel. However, in a very large kitchen like at the Hotel Del, the power of music is so strong and there are so many people moving around with knives, heat, and hot oil that music is not permitted for safety reasons.

Chef Daniel is very passionate about music and listens to music all the time. For example, when taking time off with his dog and listening to music and eating good food near the ocean, he says “I find myself at peace this way.” He says that chefs are often called kitchen pirates because they are rugged, but they all love food, art, and music. He also says, “Food is art, and music is art, and art is art, and you can’t judge somebody on it, just try to relate to it, figure out what can tie you to their art and don’t be so quick to judge it.” Please check out Chef Daniel’s Instagram account @chefdbd616. 

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