Our team members set Heartland Reps apart as a company. Our culture is built on customer service, industry experience, and people you'd like to spend a little more time with. This is why we love to shine the spotlight on the passionate people behind our company. This month we're talking to our chef, David Ford.
What’s your job title at Heartland Reps? Corporate Chef
How long have you been with Heartland Reps? May of 2021
How did you get started in the foodservice industry?
I started cooking when I was 14 at a Mexican fast food restaurant in Lincoln, NE. From there, I worked in some country clubs until I moved to Chicago, where I had the opportunity to work at some very well-known and respected restaurants.
What’s your favorite part about working in foodservice?
So many things! I always loved the challenges, the structure, and experimenting with flavors and techniques. Being a back-of-the-house guy, my favorite part would have to be the characters. There’s no shortage of camaraderie and crazy when you are stuck with a bunch of cooks all day.
Being in the industry, you must get asked a lot of questions about food. What’s a common one you hear a lot (and how do you answer it)? As a chef, I always get the “What’s your specialty?” question. I usually just answer with “Midwestern cooking with a Mediterranean twist.”
Do you have a favorite food or beverage? I’m always happy with tacos, pizza, and Thai food and I’d never turn down a Rye Old Fashioned.
Tell us one place (city or restaurant) where you’ve always heard a lot of good things about their food or drinks but you haven’t had a chance to visit yet. My wife and I went to Barcelona for our honeymoon. I would love to go back and visit more regions of Spain. The hams, cheeses, seafood, tapas, and wine always make me happy.
What’s one thing about you that isn’t well known that you’d like to share with everyone? I’ve only had one non-industry job. I worked as a car salesman for a few weeks when I was 21. Needless to say, I was the worst car salesman ever!
Ready to meet David and other members of our team? They're always eager to listen to your challenges and propose innovative foodservice solutions. Schedule some time in one of our kitchens to learn more about the equipment and how to help your foodservice business.