David’s love affair with food started at an early age, and has remained with him his entire life.  That love clearly shines through in the food he creates as the Chef/Owner of Brava! Pizzeria Della Strada; in fact, David was recently honored by Denver Magazine as a nominee for Specialty Chef of the Year: Street Carts!

David grew up eating wonderful, authentic Italian fare created by his grandparents.  That fare included dishes such as marinated eggplant, hand-made pasta, home-made sausage, braciole, and salt cod.  David recounts spending countless hours in the kitchen along side his grandparents, where he learned their traditional Italian recipes and methods.

As an adult, David obtained a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management and later completed a Master of Computer Information Systems program.  With that education and his personal drive, he had a highly successful career in business and marketing, which eventually led to him spending six (6) years as a Product/Marketing Manager and Business Development Executive at a large aviation company.  In that position, he developed skills for building customer relationships and bringing to the market state-of-the-art products which led to both income generation and cost savings.  These are skills he has translated to and now uses in his culinary career.

In the fall of 2006, David left the aviation industry and his executive position to “return to his roots” and pursue his passion for cooking. David was looking for a “well-rounded culinary education,” and he found that at Cook Street.  At Cook Street, David studied classic French and Italian cuisine and techniques, as well as wine.  After completion of his culinary education, David decided to continue his journey to discover his roots, and he spent nine months on a self-guided tour of Italy where he was immersed in the food, wine, and culture. Among other things, David mastered the customary cuisines of Southern Tuscany, including the art of throwing perfectly cooked, authentic pizza using simple, local ingredients.

After returning to Denver, David partnered with another Cook Street alumna, Kendra Anderson, in a catering business she had previously started, Flavor Catering.  At Flavor Catering, David and Kendra offered boutique catering specializing in haute Mediterranean and American cuisine while advocating for local, seasonal and natural foods in their menus.  While a partner in Flavor Catering, David was often asked to throw pizzas in clients’ personal wood-fired ovens.  From there, an idea was born and David’s creativity flourished; David began to form the idea for his current business, Brava! Pizzeria Della Strada.  David describes Brava! as a mobile pizza business providing “authentic wood fired pizza to the streets of Denver and the backyards of Denver’s residents.” 

“Mobile food carts are the latest craze, and I’m excited to catch this wave,” says David. “My passion and values lie in good food that is good for you and good for the earth, so most of the ingredients are locally sourced.”  At Brava!, David uses Colorado-made flour, local mushrooms from Hazel Dell in Windsor, and cured meats from Il Mondo Vecchio in Denver.  He also uses the freshest produce on which he can lay his hands.  Brava! is located on the Southwest Airlines Porch at Skyline Park next to Lannie’s Clocktower in downtown Denver.  Because Brava! is mobile, David is also able to wow his customers in their own back yards by offering catering and private party services with his mobile wood-burning pizza cart.

Bravdica served his first pizza on Friday, April 30, 2010…and only months later was honored by Denver Magazine as a finalist in the category of Specialty Chef of the Year: Street Carts.  Congratulations, David!