David Gavin
Chef De Cuisine at Sundara
Four Seasons Tenure
- Since 2022
- First Four Seasons Assignment: Current
Employment History
- Mozaic Restaurant, Ubud, Bali; Societén Restaurants, Varberg, Sweden; Storhogna Högfjällshotell, Vemdalen, Sweden; Hotell Villan, Gothenburg, Sweden; Palace Restaurant, Gothenburg, Sweden; Ekeberg Restaurant, Oslo, Norway
Education
- 4-year Culinary Trainee Program, Falkenbergs Gymnasium
Birthplace
- Gothenburg, Sweden
Languages spoken
- Swedish, English, Bahasa Indonesia
Some chefs spend years searching for their path. For David Gavin, the calling arrived early.
Raised in Gothenburg, Sweden, in a family where sharing food was central to daily life, David realised while still in high school that the kitchen offered something no classroom could. He left school to begin a culinary traineeship, drawn not only to cooking itself but also to the camaraderie and sense of purpose he found in professional kitchens.
Over the next decade, he honed his craft across Sweden and Norway, working in fine dining restaurants, boutique hotels and seafood‑focused kitchens. The experience instilled a lasting respect for seasonality, technique and ingredient‑led cooking, particularly the connection between great cuisine and the sea.
Meanwhile, Bali was steadily becoming part of David’s story. Family visits to an uncle who had settled on the island introduced him to a culture and cuisine unlike anything he had encountered in Scandinavia. What began as holidays soon became an enduring fascination. “I was immediately drawn to the flavours,” David recalls. “Indonesian cuisine is complex, spicy and fresh, with unique ingredients and so many different ways of cooking. For a chef, it’s endlessly fascinating.”
In 2016, David made the decision to move to Bali permanently and soon joined the acclaimed Mozaic Restaurant in Ubud under chef-founder Chris Salans. Beginning as Sous Chef, he progressed to Chef de Cuisine, overseeing one of Indonesia’s most respected fine dining kitchens. During his tenure, he led a team of more than 30 chefs, developed tasting menus and special events, and helped showcase Indonesia’s extraordinary produce through a contemporary lens that combined local ingredients with refined French technique. The role also deepened his understanding of Indonesian food culture and strengthened a philosophy that continues to guide his cooking today: respecting ingredients, celebrating place and creating genuine moments of connection around the table.
Now Chef de Cuisine at Sundara, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, David brings more than 15 years of experience to one of the island’s beachfront dining destinations. His cuisine reflects both his Scandinavian heritage and his adopted home, balancing precision and restraint with the bold flavours and rich traditions of Indonesia.
This approach is perhaps best expressed through Sundara’s intimate Chef’s Table experience. Inspired by Jimbaran’s fishing village heritage, the menu highlights sustainably sourced seafood, local ingredients and thoughtful technique. Each course during the two-hour experience explores the relationship between land and sea, tradition and innovation, allowing ingredients to speak clearly while honouring the stories behind them. “At the end of the day, great food should make people happy,” says David. “That’s what inspired me to become a chef, and it’s still what motivates me every day.”
Away from the kitchen, he enjoys spending time by the ocean with his wife Isabella and daughter Lily, continuing to explore the island and the flavours that first inspired him to call Bali home.
