Edmonton’s David Leeder never planned to move to the Big Apple.
But when opportunity knocks, sometimes you have to answer the door.
Known for his innovative approach to the culinary world, Chef Leeder caught Keller’s attention. When American chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Thomas Keller came calling, Chef Leeder was ready.
Keller, known for his landmark Napa Valley restaurant, The French Laundry in Yountville, California, recruited Leeder to become the executive sous chef at Per Se,
Patrons at this three-star Michelin establishment are willing to pay US$390 per person for its exquisite “tasting menu” experience.
Last spring’s offer from Keller was a testament to Leeder’s far-reaching reputation for culinary creativity.
From Humble Beginnings
Chef Leeder studied Culinary Arts at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton.
From Edmonton, Leeder’s culinary adventures took him to Europe and the kitchens of several other Michelin-starred restaurants.
One of them was Martin Berastegui in Basque country, Spain, where the then-23-year-old aspiring chef toiled as an unpaid apprentice and lived after hours in the wine cellar.
Later, in Paris, Leeder did a stint in the kitchen of another Michelin restaurant called Frenchie.
He credits his Italian roots on his mom’s side and a grandmother who was herself a Red Seal Chef for instilling a passion for food.
“My grandmother’s influence on us from a food perspective was huge,” he said in a 2022 interview for Chef’s Warehouse Magazine. “It created generations of us – my parents, aunts and uncles are all amazing cooks because they learned from her. And then, in my generation, me, all my cousins, we all have an appreciation for food because of her.”
Back in Canada, Leeder worked at Calgary’s now-defunct Muse before returning to Europe for a 4-year stint at Copenhagen’s legendary NOMA.
Eventually, he bounced back to Calgary to head up Teatro in Calgary as executive chef. Under his leadership, Teatro was voted the city’s best restaurant in 2019.
He had no plans to leave Alberta – until Keller called.
Biting the Big Apple
“I’ve done almost everything I wish I could have done as a chef, and my plan was to open my own restaurant in Calgary,” he told the Globe and Mail in a recent interview. “But when you get this kind of offer, it’s too good to resist.”
Since the French Laundry, the Thomas Keller Group’s network has expanded to include 11 restaurants and bakeries in the US. Per Se is known for its fixed-price menu and views of Central Park.
At Per Se, Leeder is responsible for day-to-day operations and collaborating with sous chefs and the management team.
The days of working for free or bowing at the feet of egotistical celebrity chefs are now behind Leeder.
“I have definitely done the 16-hour days and 20-hour days elsewhere,” he says. “But the company I work for now has a very high standard of professionalism. Our turnover is low. We were just closed for two months for renovations, but our whole team came back.”
With his newfound management experience and top chef skills, Chef Leeder may one day return to Calgary and open his own three-star restaurant.
The future looks bright for this ambitious Albertan.
