Testimonials

As we began our search for the next culinary leader at Riverton Country Club, we knew we needed to partner with the best Chef Search Firm in the industry. David Meyers and Denise Zanchelli did not disappoint. The candidates presented were all fully capable of stepping into the role of Executive Chef at Riverton Country Club, and far superior to the candidates we would have seen doing this on our own.  We hired a phenomenal Chef and we could not be happier with the outcome.  Chef not only possesses all of the skills needed to lead the kitchen but also, he was a perfect fit culturally for the organization. His leadership, vision, and mentoring are exactly what the Club needs at this moment and his impact has been felt immediately. David and Denise spent all of the time needed to learn about the Club. They ensured the candidates we saw would all fit the Club, not just from a culinary skills perspective, but soft skills, culture and team perspective as well. There is no doubt in my mind that we received value that far exceeded the cost we paid for their services. I would highly recommend that any Manager looking to hire a new Executive Chef call David Meyers Associates and engage them first.

“We were very pleased with the whole search process for our new executive chef. The slate of highly qualified candidates that DMA presented in a timely manner was impressive. Ultimately, we had a hard time picking our final candidate because of the great choices. It was a pleasure working with all of you. We particularly enjoyed getting to know and work with you during your club visit.”

When we were in the process of opening our new clubhouse, I knew we couldn’t miss on hiring the best chef we could find to establish a positive first impression and ultimately an excellent reputation. I had never really used a placement firm in my previous experience, but let’s face it, as managers we are only really right 2/3 of the time at best when hiring people. This had to be a no-doubter, and I am confident David’s list of candidates put us in that 95% category of success. I am grateful for his services and what it has meant to the success of our operation.

When The Country Club was looking to hire an Executive Chef, we knew that we wanted to interview top quality candidates from across the country. With his contacts from throughout the club and hospitality industry, David Meyers was able to present us with many outstanding candidates to choose from. Using his Chef Strength Analysis, along with interviewing and an on-site tasting, we ended up with what we believe to be a perfect fit for Country. David made the process easy for us, and his attention to detail and follow-up have been outstanding.

David Meyers is the best at what he does.  He is very thoughtful in developing candidates for consideration, and is always able to articulate what the candidates bring to the table.   David is down-to-earth, personable, and hardworking.  I highly recommend David Meyers to any club executive looking to find their next great chef.

I had the opportunity to work with David Meyers when San Antonio Country Club was looking for a new Chef. I found the experience exceptional. We had a very talented pool of candidates and David helped us narrow the field. We had the list down to a manageable number and started with phone interviews. From there we narrowed the field again and then David told us there was one guy that we did not select in the final list that he thought we should include, which we did.

Over three days we brought in the three finalists, all capable of being the Chef for us. After each Chef the Committee felt this was our Chef but we made them be patient and go through all three. The last Chef to meet with us and prepare his food was the Chef David suggested we include in the final three. Low and behold he was our guy and now 8 years later he is still our Chef and doing a fantastic job.

We recently worked with David Meyers Associates to help us search for a new Executive Chef. David took the time to understand our Club’s needs, expectations, and culture. We were extremely impressed with the thoughtful approach used to vet incredibly qualified candidates. The communications were frequent, direct, and open throughout the entire engagement. Our high expectations were not only met but exceeded at every step of the process.

David is a relational investor.  He understands –and I believe he has understood it for year – that relationships built upon investing and caring for others are foundational to business success.  He is a genuine professional and his years of due diligence leave him extremely well connected and well respected in the hospitality industry.  If and when we would search for top leadership talent in any culinary operation I would be connected with, David Meyers would again be my first contact.  My experience with David and his firm has only been excellent and I would recommend them to anyone.

This is the second time working with David Meyers Associates and once again, we are very pleased with the results.  David stays engaged throughout the entire process and has an extraordinary talent of finding the candidates that match the needs, desires and chemistry of the Club.  I was also impressed with the wide net of candidates David was able to pull from.  Our first Chef stayed over five years helping us through a transition of moving into a new clubhouse with increased revenues of 125%. Our new Chef is making a positive impact as we continue growing the food and beverage operation at Army Navy Country Club and enhancing the member experience.

I had the daunting task of replacing our Executive Chef who was retiring after 32 years at the Club.  My first call was to David Myers and his team or professionals.  They walked me through the process and made my decision to move forward with their firm a no brainier.  It was a smooth and well organized process that engaged our senior staff and Membership.  The wealth of knowledge and contacts that David was able to provide resulted in an excellent group of candidates allowing us to make our selection with ease, knowing that we had the best fit for the Club and our team.

I had the pleasure of working with David Meyers for the Executive Chef search for the Cosmos Club.  This was an important assignment as we were replacing our 35 year Executive Chef.  David worked seamlessly with professional staff and member volunteers.  He designed and executed an effective process, one that culminated in the successful hiring of a talented chef who has transformed our culinary operation.  David has become a trusted advisor.  I wholeheartedly endorse David Meyers and Associates if you’re looking for the best in the business.

Philadelphia Country Club was faced with an immediate need for an interim Executive Chef heading into the busy fall and holiday season.  When I reached out to David Meyers, we focused our discussion on options for an interim solution that would have the potential of becoming a permanent solution.  David responded immediately with multiple candidates enabling me to move through the interviewing process efficiently while putting my Board members minds at ease that the best, most qualified candidate to lead the PCC culinary team would be identified and hired quickly.  David’s specific knowledge of our club and the local market, the depth of his contacts into the culinary world and his ability to assist with closing the deal were the key factors that created our successful search.   Based upon his professionalism with the process from start to finish, the results delivered and his continued interest in our culinary operation and its success, I can confidently and without hesitation recommend David Meyers.

Following the resignation of our long tenured and high regarded Executive Chef, we needed to find a Chef that would have to fill some pretty big shoes.  David was able to present a slate of candidates that were all capable of doing the job, but more importantly, he understood our new chef had to be the proper “fit” for the Club and our management team.  Some of the chefs brought forth for consideration were not from traditional country club backgrounds and it became obvious that David had done his homework and had access to a network of candidates far deeper than what would have been available to us without his help.  Happy to say a little more than a year has passed and we have a great Chef that has managed to carry on the traditions of our Club’s cuisine, but has also introduced the membership to new items and injected a great new vibe into our member dining experience.

At Cherokee Town and Country Club, we have a unique F&B operation, with multiple outlets, very high volume along and a quality expectation which is second to none. Our employee culture of being in the “Happiness Business” is the driver of everything we do at Cherokee and if one isn’t a good fit to our culture, it doesn’t matter how talented a person is, they won’t make it if they don’t fit the culture. Consequently, the pool of candidates who could be successful at Cherokee is considerably reduced from what a “normal” culinary search may require. David Meyers accepted these challenges and rose to the occasion with not only the depth and breadth of his contacts but his overall experience both as a successful Chef and a successful General Manager. He brought forth numerous candidates which not only satisfy our specific culinary needs at Cherokee but also those who fit our internal culture.

I am happy to recommend the high-quality services of David Meyers Associates. Hiring Food & Beverage professionals in the Club business is difficult these days and a Chef…well let’s just say extremely difficult! Working with Professionals such as David Meyers and Bill Schulz removes much of the worry in trying to fill those spots. Why? Well, number one to me was that they have done it! They understand the positions in question because they have lived it and more importantly understand the details needed to be a Country Club Executive Chef. In addition they are well respected in the industry, have a huge outreach to candidates and know the questions to ask. In fact I believe it is a high honor for any Chef that is even represented or called by David Meyers Associates.

In my case it wasn’t perfect…meaning that the first candidate wasn’t a good fit. One call to David and Bill and they were back to work. As a result we have the right fit today, I am happy, the staff is happy and WE HAVE HAPPY MEMBERS!

I strongly recommend David Meyer and associates for all your Food & Beverage search needs. They are the best in the business, they will give you peace of mind, they guarantee their work and their pricing is reasonable.

Our Club recently found itself at a crossroads.  At over 100 years old, we were well established, but lacking a culinary identity.  David Meyers Associates skillfully guided us through an evaluation of talented chefs from across the hospitality industry.  After a thorough vetting process, we selected an experienced culinarian with a vision, an appreciation for our Club’s culture, and a passion for carefully selecting ingredients and then presenting them in such a way as to allow the food to speak for itself.  We could not be more pleased.

Belle Meade Country Club worked with David Meyers Associates during our recent Executive Chef search.  We are completely satisfied with the quality of our new Chef and the skill set he brings to our culinary program.  He has been a great fit for us and we thank David Meyers Associates for their help in securing such a quality leader.

I have known David, since he was a General Manager in the Chicago area; respected by his peers for his operational and culinary expertise.  Since the inception of David Meyers associates, i have used David with three very successful Executive Chef searches.  The process was very professional and flawless.  All hires exceed the member’s expectations.  We have seen a continued 4% growth in F&B revenue since David found a great fit for the Chicago Yacht Club 4 years ago.

David Meyers and Associates performed a remarkable job in providing us with culinary candidates that met and exceeded our expectations.   We did not know David previously and the recommendation came through a fellow colleague, who also had a positive experience using their services.    Within days, David Meyers and Bill Schulz came over to the Argyle Club and spent several hours between getting the proper information of our needs, tour of the property and assessing the functionality and flow of all kitchen equipment.

The selection of our final candidate made it very difficult for the search committee to decide on since all candidates possessed the qualities, pedigree, and skill set to be offered the job.

In the end, we were very pleased with the search and will use David Meyers and Associates for any future needs.

David and I have known each other for over ten years. When searching for an Executive Chef, David is the only call I make.  David presents individuals with exceptional culinary skills and integrity.  The Chefs we have hired through David have consistently “raised the bar” to a new level.

I just wanted to say that we could not have been more pleased with how the Executive Chef Search that was conducted. From the very beginning, David and his team were first-class. Our position was not the easiest to fill especially in a foodie town. However, after the initial conversations of what Metairie C.C. was looking for, David and his team not only provided us with a first rate slate of candidates; any one of them would have been an excellent choice. Simply put, they were all top notch candidates. I very much appreciate the (DMA) team taking us through the entire process and making it very easy even though the decision was not easy one. I can truly say that if the time comes that our Club is in need of a kitchen professional, I know who to call.

Our relationship began with a successful search for an Executive Chef and has developed into an invaluable strategic partnership with David Meyers. Long after David joined us in a lengthy and intensive search process that resulted in our hiring an Executive Chef, he continues to maintain a meaningful relationship with Farmington Country Club. He shares his time, resources, and expertise with generosity and is genuinely interested in the long-term success of our Club. I am often called upon by my HR colleagues to recommend reputable search executives who understand the club business, and I never hesitate to offer David Meyers’ name.

David impressed our search committee with his intimate knowledge of club kitchens and club kitchen economics, to say nothing of his contacts at some of the best private clubs in the country.

With the help he and his partner Bill Schulz provided, we were able hire an exciting talent and used David’s market sense to negotiate a sensible contract with our new chef.

I want to let you know that David and Dale have made great strides in the last couple of months. Your guidance and candidate selection resulted in two strong leaders. My Board was initially apprehensive and now are raving about the dining experience and service levels. I may never be able to thank you enough for the impact that you have made on our Club and especially on the Food & Beverage operation. The bottom line has been impacted in a positive direction. The staff are learning under their new leadership and appear to enjoy the new relationships. The end result is the members are getting value for their dollar.

I hope you understand how grateful I am for your work and friendship. Please let me know how I can be of assistance to you.

We used David Meyers to search for a new Executive Chef and couldn’t have been more satisfied with the results. He was incredibly organized and performed the due diligence necessary to understand our unique needs. David came to appreciate the Club’s distinctive culture in a professionally intimate way that enabled him to identify the best candidates. He exposed us to candidates with not only exceptional professional skills but who also blended just the right amounts of experience, personality, work ethic and personal character. He also ensured that we were not exposed to a cookie-cutter line-up where one candidate was difficult to remember from another. His approach provided a selection of choices that stretched and positively challenged some of our organizational assumptions and bias. David combined just the right measure of guiding the process while being open to adjustments to meet the specialized methods we used to determine the ultimate professional fit for the Cherry Hills organization. David’s timely, responsive and talent focused process produced great results for us and I’d strongly recommend him to any Club looking to re-energize their stable of high quality culinary talent.

David Meyers is a class act. I first met David when I was seeking to relocate about 5 years ago. In my search for recruiters, I did my due diligence and David’s name was at the top of the list. David brings years of industry experience to the table which makes him easy to work with. What I like about David is that he has passion and he tries to find the right fit for both the club and the individual. You can’t just fill a position even if the individual has great experience, you need the right fit and David knows it. We have used David’s services at our other clubs placing Executive Chefs and Sous Chefs with great results. We will definitely use his services in the future when needed.

I was impressed with the level of care and professionalism you provided us as a part of our recent search for a new Executive Chef. All of the candidates you handpicked for us were qualified, interested and most importantly a ‘good fit’ for our organization. One especially so, and he is the new leader of a reinvigorated culinary team.

In my opinion the time you invest in truly understanding the specific needs of a property is what sets you apart from the completition. Keep up the great work.

David Meyers was instrumental in bringing to us an Executive Chef that not only was right for The Country Club of Lincoln, but he also made sure The Country Club of Lincoln was right for the candidates he presented. He knows the industry, he knows his clients, and he knows his candidates. He makes sure the situation is right for all. David then follows up and makes sure everything is going well. I would not hire an Executive Chef without David.

David Meyers & Associates is in a class by himself in the Chef Executive Search business. David’s diverse culinary background and General Manager experience with over 25 years of in-the-trenches experience will provide your Club the best in the business culinary candidates. David’s detailed approach to understand the culture of your club and culinary environment is tailored to improving your food and beverage operations. David will lead you through a very organized and professional process with high integrity and ethics and you will be extremely satisfied with your final selection!

I had the pleasure of working with David when he was the General Manager of North Shore Country Club. In addition to experiencing his wonderful culinary skills when he was a Executive Chef at North Shore, I also worked very closely with David while I was on the Board of Governors and in my years as a member of the Executive Committee and ultimately President. David was extremely supportive to me and the other Board members. He is articulate and always very well prepared. While David has strong convictions and is prepared to stand firm on issues where he feels the need to do so, he also is open minded and willing to consider alternative ways of getting things done. He is an excellent individual and understands the benefits of bringing balance to everything he does. His knowledge of the hospitality industry is without equal and I wholeheartedly recommend David to join your recruiting team.