David Slater spent his youth exploring one of the most cosmopolitan and multicultural cities in the world – Toronto, Canada. Food rituals shared by his grandparents would make up the foundation for his lifelong culinary interests, with their Russian and Romanian heritage; the blending of several cultural traditions, heavily influencing his personal style of cooking.

After graduating from the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1998, David arrived in New Orleans, working in the prestigious kitchens of The Windsor Court Hotel and Restaurant Cuvée.

In 2001, David joined the Emeril’s family at Emeril’s Orlando, working alongside Emeril’s Culinary Director Bernard Carmouche. In 2003, he was part of the opening team at Emeril’s Atlanta, before returning to Emeril’s New Orleans in 2005 as a Sous Chef.

Forced to evacuate to New York due to Hurricane Katrina, David worked in a number of popular Manhattan restaurants for a few months, until the restoration and reopening of Emeril’s New Orleans in December 2005. David become the Executive Sous Chef under Chef de Cuisine Christopher Lynch in 2007, and assumed full command of the kitchen at Emeril Lagasse’s flagship restaurant in January 2008.

With a love of New Orleans food, people and culture, and a true passion for the local bounty available here, he continues to inspire locals and visitors daily with Chef Emeril’s signature “new New Orleans” cuisine. David Slater’s fresh expressions of Chef Emeril’s bold cooking philosophy have produced many local and national accolades, including “Best Executive Chefs" by New Orleans CityBusiness in 2009. He has also been featured in Food & Wine Magazine’s list of critic’s best recipes for 2010.