At just 27, ACI alumnus David Brito is the executive chef at Geordie’s at the Wrigley Mansion, bringing a vibrant fusion of heritage and haute cuisine to Phoenix. A former student at Cesar Chavez High School, Chef Brito’s culinary spark was ignited by television chefs and his uncle’s camaraderie in chain restaurants. After graduating from ACI in 2014, Brito leveraged the institute’s stellar externship placement program to jumpstart his career.
Brito’s journey through the resort industry, from Omni Montelucia to Kai, has been marked by volume cooking and intimate dinner services. His passion is not just in crafting dishes but in building experiences, drawing from both Mexican heritage and French technique. At Geordie’s, his new dishes like the 60-ingredient mole and dry-aged ducks reflect his ethos: indigenous cooking married with seasonal awareness.
For aspiring chefs, Brito advises finding a mentor as caring as his, Chef Alex Stratta. His ten-year trajectory, marked by hard work and mentorship, epitomizes the ACI promise: the best version of oneself, realized through culinary excellence.