Chef David Beran

Losing your mind with Chris Cosentino

Follow him: @dcberan or @pasjoli.sm

Dave Beran graduated with a B.A. in business from Lake Forest College, but it was a summer job at Latitude Restaurant in Bay Harbour, Michigan where he discovered his passion for cooking. After completing his formal education, Dave worked in Chicago at MK and was promoted to tournant in a short time before leaving to work at Tru.

Dave joined the Alinea kitchen in early 2006 and moved quickly through the ranks as a result of his creativity and attention to detail. He was promoted to chef de cuisine in July 2008 and then in 2011, he was tapped to open Next as executive chef.

During his time at Next, Dave researched, developed, and executed fifteen distinctive menus exploring cuisine from around the world — Thailand to Paris to Sicily to Kyoto to Vegan. Fourteen of those menus received the highest 4-Star rating from the Chicago Tribune.

In spring of 2016, Dave bid Chicago a fond farewell to relocate west to Los Angeles where he spent a year researching, developing, and testing for his first solo concept.

In September 2017, Dave opened his first restaurant, Dialogue, in Santa Monica. The intimate, 18-seat open kitchen restaurant tells a story through a tasting menu. Inspired by the abundance of Southern California ingredients, the menu changes entirely with the seasons, allowing guests to enjoy a completely new experience every three months.

Dave has been nominated three times for James Beard Awards including both Rising Star and Best Chef: Great Lakes, ultimately winning Best Chef: Great Lakes in 2014. Additionally, Next won a James Beard for Best New Restaurant in America under his leadership. In 2014, Dave was named Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine. In 2018, Dialogue was named one of the Best New Restaurants in America by GQ magazine and 2019, Dialogue received One Michelin Star and Five Stars from Forbes Travel Guide, the only U.S. restaurant to be added to the Five Star list in 2019. Dialogue closed during the pandemic.

In September 2019, Dave opened his second restaurant, pasjoli, an elevated French bistro in Santa Monica. The menu, rooted in classic French cuisine and inspired by Parisian markets, reflects the vast array of produce available in Southern California. In 2020, pasjoli was named one of GQ Magazine’s Best New Restaurants in America as well as one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants. The restaurant was also a James Beard Award Finalist in 2020 for Best New Restaurant.