Growing up in a food-loving Italian family inspired Dan to attend the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He quickly rose through the culinary ranks, serving as Executive Chef of 1789 in Washington, D.C. and Head Chef of Noma in Copenhagen. After three years in the latter role, he returned to the United States to tackle another culinary challenge: school food.

In 2016, he founded Brigaid, assembling a team of professional chefs who were eager to apply their culinary expertise to improve the offerings and quality of school food service programs. Today, Brigaid’s work has expanded to senior centers and a prison. It remains guided by Dan’s belief that everyone deserves nourishing food, cooked with care and passion.