Chef Dave White Explains His Approach to Cooking: “I Don’t Follow Recipes”

Below Deck Mediterranean chief stew Natasha Webb previously worked with chef Dave White, and she was eager to share her thoughts on him during the show’s July 11 Season 7 premiere. “We’re pretty lucky,” Natasha told Captain Sandy Yawn. “He’s an incredible chef.”

Dave opened up about his culinary experience in an episode interview. “I’ve worked on yachts for eight years,” he shared. “I was a yacht chef before I opened my restaurant in the southwest of France. Super proud of it, but it’s super difficult to make a success of it.”

When it comes to finding success during the charter season, Dave tries to find a balance between getting creative in the galley and giving guests exactly what they want. “I will follow a preference sheet, but I don’t follow recipes,” he explained in an interview. “It’s almost like just throwing a ball against a wall. Like, 'Can I do this?’ Catch it. ‘Yes, I can do that.’ ‘Can I do that?’ No, I can’t do it. I’ve dropped it.”

He added, “I just shut my eyes, and I can envision the plate.”

That said, if guests don’t end up satisfied with a dish, Dave is happy to reimagine it to their liking. As he explained, “I don’t want to fail, so if you don’t like it, I’m gonna keep going until you do like it.”

Watch Below Deck Med on Bravo Mondays at 8/7c and on the Bravo app. Catch new episodes one week early on Peacock.