BATH

As a 14-year-old “pot boy” who worked at Kristina’s Restaurant and Bakery in Bath, now Mae’s Cafe, cleaning pots and cracking eggs all day, David French vowed to never enter the cooking industry.

“At that point, I swore I would never do this because I did not enjoy it,” French said.

Fast forward to the present, French is now executive chef at Kennebec Tavern with 25 years of professional cooking experience under his belt and claims, “I can’t ever see myself not being involved with food.”

French, a Bath native who attended Morse High School, said he got his first real start by working at the Freeport Cafe as a prep cook, where he earned his chops and “learned the fundamentals of making soups and chowders and baked goods.”

He said he worked his way up “the old-fashioned way” by learning under different cooks and chefs rather than attending culinary school.

To this day, French said he can’t pinpoint a specialty.

“It’s hard to say because I am one of those people who, if I become bored with what I am doing, then I’ll teach myself how to do something different,” he said. “Obviously being here, I love fresh seafood, but I am a very seasonal person when it comes to vegetables and produce.

“I like classic food, but I like to put modern twists on it. I’m not one to label things Midwest or Italian or French. I like to take the best parts of those things and kind of marry them together,” he added.

After giving it some thought, French said, “I guess you could call it fusion if you want to.”

December will mark two years since French has been at the local seafood restaurant, where he works 70 to 80 hours a week.

And while French still makes time to go long-distance running as a pastime, he said being a chef can be just as physically taxing as running.

“I’ve run marathons before — I run halfmarathons every once in a while and I know what that’s like and sometimes this is just the same,” he said.

French emphasized the importance of passion, which he finds through interacting with people and watching his team members grow.

“I enjoy the rush of cooking — having a team of guys and girls and putting great product out and making people happy. The other part of that is I enjoy seeing my cooks and staff excel and do better and learn,” he said.

French is also one of three chefs who will be competing in the Meals on Wheels Celebrity Chef Challenge this month, hosted by Spectrum Generations, and vying for the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice awards. The winner will also have their dish incorporated in Spectrum Generations’ Meals on Wheels menu.

French said he jumped at the opportunity when he was approached by the Meals on Wheels committee.

“I see it as a kind of a way to get this establishment more into the community and more involved, and Meals on Wheels is, of course, a fantastic cause,” he said. “I mean, we’re chefs and we’re cooks — no one should go hungry.”

While French cited the restaurant’s success at the past two Chilli Chowder Fest competitions during Bath Heritage Days, he said he hoped to just enjoy the experience.

“I hope to have fun,” he said. “I know these guys, I’ve known some of these guys for quite a while … and they’re all fantastic chefs,” he said. “It’s about making people happy and making a difference. I hope to let people know that we are here to make a difference, we are here to help.”

dkim@timesrecord.com