Shedding light on KapCC Chef Dave Brown

In January 2014, Chef David Brown will be starting his fifth year at KapCC. Many of us know him as the culinary patisserie and confiserie instructor, but how many of us know Chef Brown beyond that? The chances of that are slim. Chef Brown explains, “As much as I am a very social person, I am also a very private person.”

During an interview Chef Brown was able to shed a little more light on himself. Originally from a small, traditions, old New England town, he later found himself at the School of Fine and Applied Arts at Boston University. After he arrived there in the late sixties, he did not stay for long. “That was the sixties, and the streets were wild. Schools were closing down with student strikes, and the anti-war opposition was huge,” he said. He soon dropped out of school, packed his bags, and spent most of the next five years traveling.

During his time aboard, Brown visited family members in the south of Italy and tended to small olive orchards in the Greek Islands. After some time, Brown then found his way to the Middle East. Brown explains that his time spent abroad brought critical life shaping events. “I was able to leave the American culture for awhile, and just see how other people lived,” Chef Brown said. “It led me to embrace the simple life.” Turkey was his last stop before returning stateside to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

It was in Cambridge that Chef Brown first entered the hospitality industry. By chance, he had meet with the Food and Beverage Director of the Hyatt Corporation. This meeting eventually landed Chef Brown a job as a bartender at the newly opened hotel. Later he transferred to the Dallas Hyatt. He grew tired of the late night schedule demands of a bartender and changed pace and worked in the kitchen. There he worked as a pastry helper for minimum wage. It was only after 18 months Chef Brown took over the position of Executive Pastry Chef. “It was an unusual chain of events, and much confidence on my part,” he said.

Eventually his experiences took him to the Big Island where he helped open the Hyatt Regency Waikoloa. For the next 19 years Chef Brown would be the Executive Pastry Chef for the Hyatt. In 2001 that Brown decided to open up his own restaurant within the Waikoloa Resort. However, after five years he closed the restaurant.

This ultimately led him to become an instructor at Kapi’olani Community College. Chef Brown shared that his main goal as an instructor was to pass on his knowledge to students. He hopes to instill a fascination and excitement for food in students. “I like teaching for this simple reason, I can span the future and the past,” he said. “Past is my history and skills, future is the goals and expectations of my students.”

When he further discussed his students, Chef Brown explained that one thing he wished to convey to his students was. “You are the only witness to your dreams. Others may know them, but only you can feel them gnaw away at your being. Never give them up, or misplace them.”

Though Brown has been living a life well rooted in the culinary field, he still has other passions. He has a strong affinity towards the environment. Along with his involvement in the Kapi’olani Culinary Arts program sustainability movement, Chef Brown has been commuting by means of bicycle for the last six years. He also likes to stay updated with the events of world. In addition to being environmentally and globally conscious, Chef Brown shares that he has always pursued a personal dream.

“I have the exact same dream today that I had when I was 15, and that was to be a sculptor,” he said. “I don’t regret anything, but in no position will I give up my dream to be a sculptor.”

In life he finds inspiration in many places, people and things. Chef Brown has an excitement in everyday life that keeps him optimistic about each day. “My passion for life is rooted in the 365 day maintenance schedule of my dreams. My dreams are in my hand, right now.”