David Breeden

David Breeden, a Tennessee native with Appalachian roots, began his career in top restaurants in Charleston, S.C., before staging at The French Laundry in 2005 as meat butcher. He advanced to executive sous chef at Per Se in New York City for seven years, then returned to The French Laundry in early 2013 as chef de cuisine, succeeding Timothy Hollingsworth and becoming only the fourth in the restaurant's history to hold the role. He served in that position for 13 years, upholding Thomas Keller's standards at the three-Michelin-star restaurant in Yountville, California.