Dan Leff first began his love affair with food and cooking at his grandmother's Seder table when he was 3.  (A Seder is the Jewish celebration of Passover, with many foods designated for both ceremonial and celebratory purposes.)  "There was something about Grandma's potato kugel," he recalled, "It was rich and substantial, solid and wonderful."  He was later inspired to take out kids' cookbooks from the library, seeking his own abilities to make this rich and wonderful magic with food.

Dan notes that for centuries, food has been linked with love as parents and grandparents provide for their families.  It was the inverse that gave him the inspiration to become a chef.  During a visit from his parents, Dan had taken the day off from work to prepare a sumptuous Mexican dinner completely from scratch.  "Suddenly I realized as I was cooking, that creating this food this was giving me so much more joy than my 9-to-5 job."  His path was immediate and unwavering.

Dan enrolled in the California Culinary Academy and graduated in 1995.  He went to work for the San Francisco Marriott, first in their Fourth Street Deli and then in their banquet kitchen.  Over the years, he has worked in many venues, including with celebrated chef Bradley Ogden at his flagship Lark Creek Inn.  "I was working with the best people, the best ingredients, and we produced world-class results."

Turning his focus to small events and private cheffing in people's homes was a natural for Dan.  "Food is the easiest way to share happiness among people.  You can get together and sit around talking or drinking, but when you can really taste the care and attention that someone has put into high-quality food, it turns the occasion into something that's unforgettable.  You'll talk about it with warm memories even years later.  My job is to make that magic happen."