Today we’d like to introduce you to David Slay
Hi David , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Chef David Slay enjoys a well-earned reputation as one of the most professional and hardworking chefs in the hospitality business. A third-generation American restaurateur, David started his training at the age of 11 in his father’s kitchen. He apprenticed with two-star chef Gerard Vie at Tros Marches in Versailles and A. Beauvillier Restaurant in Paris with famed chef Marc Angel when he was 17. At 20 he opened his first restaurant, a 26 seat French café with no liquor license, due to the fact he was not old enough to get one.
Afterward, he was the owner and chef of several popular fine dining restaurants in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, before tackling the competitive California restaurant scene, where he opened David Slay’s La Veranda in Beverly Hills, the renowned California/European-style bistro he founded in 1989. Under Slay’s direction, La Veranda was recognized as one of the “Best Gold Medal Restaurants in the United States”.
David is the proud owner and operator of six thriving establishments, spanning from the picturesque Orange County, CA, to his beloved hometown of Manhattan Beach, CA. These restaurants stand as shining examples of his unwavering commitment to culinary excellence and top-notch hospitality. This culinary journey showcases his dedication across multiple locations, bringing his passion for food and hospitality to life in each venue.
In 2017, David expanded his successful ventures into the world of winemaking. Slay Estate and Vineyard is nestled in the breathtaking Santa Barbara wine county, specifically within the prestigious Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Drawing from his experience as a thriving restaurateur, David brings his unwavering commitment to excellence and meticulous attention to detail to the art of vineyard management.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think you can experience success without some failures, but our successes have been far greater than our failures. COVID was a huge struggle and took a lot of business sense to make it through.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We employee over 200 people. My family and I are very hands-on. Our restaurants are individually curated by all of us – from the artwork and florals to the wine selection and food offerings. Each restaurant concept is different. We feel one of the things that makes us different from others is that we’re in the restaurants every day. I walk about 40+ miles a week to visit each restaurant and greet our guests. We’re also very proud of our wines from our vineyard, Slay Estate Vineyard. Additionally, we grow a lot of produce for the restaurants. All of our farming is organic, offering wines that we grow and make and vegetables that we grow and serve. This is truly unique to our business. The Slay brand is known for quality, hospitality, and treating employees and customers respectfully.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I was 10 years old when I started working in restaurants. I remember driving to work with my father and this memory is something I cherish very much. Our family dinners with all 7 of us kids was also chaotic, but memorable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.slay.la/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slaysteakandfishhouse/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/slay-italian-kitchen-manhattan-beach
