Meet David

Our resident Scotsman and resident mixology wizard, David joined The Candlelight team at the beginning of January as Alice’s right-hand man.

There is very little David doesn’t know about cocktails and spirits and he makes the meanest margarita going. Trust me, I’ve tried a fair few!

He also has the most extraordinary rum collection. When I asked how many bottles he owned, his response was simply: “I stopped counting when I reached 1,000.”

David brings with him a wealth of experience, having worked at some of the South West’s leading venues and even owned his own cocktail bar in Dorset for several years. Quietly brilliant, he never needs to be the loudest person in the room. It’s the little details he notices, along with his genuine desire for every guest to leave feeling happy and well looked after, that make him such a brilliant fit for our team.

A few quick facts about David…

Desert island meal
To start: Applewood and oak-smoked Scandinavian salmon with Irish soda bread.
Main: Chateaubriand, cooked medium rare over coals, with triple-cooked chips in beef dripping and buttered greens.
For dessert: Crème brûlée.

I love asking our team this question….we always get wonderfully specific answers!

Dream car
A classic Mini Cooper.

Favourite part of hospitality
Encouraging guests to try something new, challenging their expectations of what they think they like, and helping them discover a new firm favourite.