David Pollan — Private Chef, Peruvian

About Chef

I grew up in restaurants and around food my entire life. Cooking has never really felt like a career choice to me — it’s always been part of who I am. My culinary foundation started at home with my Peruvian mother and grandmother and my Texan father, so from a young age I was exposed to a blend of Peruvian, Tex-Mex, Mexican, Southern, and later Italian and Asian influences that still define my cooking today. As a kid, I was essentially my dad’s prep cook. I learned the work before I learned the glamour — peeling and deveining shrimp, snapping green beans, picking cilantro, making sauces, and understanding that great food starts with love, care and attention to detail. My parents both worked closely with the Laurenzo family and Ninfa’s in Houston, so I grew up immersed in a culture of hospitality and food. Restaurants and hospitality were always part of our family life. I worked for the Laurenzo family in concepts spanning Mexican, Italian, and American cuisine before relocating to Colorado, where I spent six years with Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in culinary leadership. I am currently the executive chef at Perdida in the Wash Park neighborhood of Denver. Over the years, I’ve developed strong skills not just in cooking, but in organization, execution, team leadership, menu development, and creating food that feels both elevated and deeply personal. I bring both high-level professional experience and a very grounded, heartfelt relationship with food. I’m equally comfortable executing refined dinners, cooking soulful comfort food, or creating experiences that feel warm, personal, and memorable. My style is ingredient-driven, bold in flavor, and heavily influenced by the cultures and people who raised me. At the end of the day, I care about making food that genuinely connects with people.

Chef's Specialties