Meet the Chefs
Dave Chase
After graduating from culinary school in New England and participating in the ACF as a certified chef, competitor and board member, thirty years in the "culinary trenches" led Chase to many restaurants in many cities including Providence, Philadelphia, Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Tired of the fast pace, he took a chance on the Ozarks, fell in love with the area and has remained here since.
From 1996-2002, Dave held the position of Lead Cook at Devil's Pool before being promoted to Sous Chef. He then explored restaurant ownership in the area, returning in June 2004 as Top of the Rock Lead. In September 2004, he became Chef Tournant, floating between the outlets assisting in all culinary areas as needed. Chase can currently be found at the Worman Steakhouse, Big Cedar's lakeside fine dining restaurant, fine tuning an ever-changing menu, creating nightly specials, training interns and working closely with front of the house staff to ensure each guest has an unforgettable dining experience.
David Case
David Case began his Big Cedar culinary career in 1995 in the ACF Certified Apprenticeship Program under Director of Food & Beverage and Executive Chef Robert Stricklin, AAC, CEC. He excelled in Culinary Arts and his ability to lead by example while providing guests with the best culinary experience possible was immediately apparent. Climbing quickly through the ranks, Dave was integral in the creation and execution of the Worman Steakhouse as well as designing menus for Devil's Pool that utilize local products, including Rainbow Trout, wild mushrooms and other fresh produce, seasonal ingredients and spices. His creativity and enthusiasm is not limited to the printed menu, but is also demonstrated daily in lunch and dinner specials as well as our Big Cedar amenity selections. Chef Case puts the "Contemporary" into Devil's Pool's "Contemporary Ozark Cuisine".
Dave was promoted to Devil's Pool Sous Chef in 2002 and received Big Cedar Manager of the Year in 2006.
