Chef Dave Racicot

Dave Racicot was born and raised in Indiana, Pennsylvania. This was also the birthplace of his culinary career. In 1996, after high school graduation, Dave began washing dishes at the local Holiday Inn. He accepted promotions within the company that led to the title of Executive Chef by the time he was 20 years old. Wanting to learn more than what the Holiday Inn offered, he accepted a cook position at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort located in Farmington, Pennsylvania. It was here that he began to develop a respect and appreciation for food and cooking.

This new found respect for the art of cooking led Dave to Las Vegas in 2003. The city opened his eyes to just how much there was to learn. While working at Picasso in the Bellagio, he studied anything and everything he could find on food, cooking, and the philosophy behind it.

In 2005, Dave was asked to return to Nemacolin Woodlands. He accepted the position of Chef de Cuisine of Aqueous restaurant. The following year, he was named “Rising Star Chef” by Pittsburgh Magazine and “Rising Chef” by Gayot.com. In 2007, Dave was promoted to Chef de Cuisine of Lautrec restaurant, also located in Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Under Dave’s direction for less than a year, the restaurant received the AAA 5 Diamond Award, one of 46 restaurants to receive 5 Diamonds that year. The following year, 2009, Lautrec was not only awarded 5 Diamonds again, but became one of 20 restaurants to receive the Mobil (now Forbes) 5 Star Award.

In addition to those accolades, Dave was recognized as a semi-finalist for “Rising Star Chef” by the esteemed James Beard Foundation in both 2008 and 2009. In August of 2009, Dave was invited to host a dinner at the James Beard House in New York City.

Like many chefs, Dave had a dream of opening his own restaurant. In 2010, he did just that. notion restaurant opened its doors on December 31st, 2010, in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Just months later, notion was named to Pittsburgh Magazine’s 25 Best Restaurants List. One year after opening, Dave closed notion in order to relocate to the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh where it currently operates at 128 South Highland Avenue.

Today, Chef Dave Racicot’s passion for food and cooking is stronger than ever. Constantly evolving as a chef, he continues to study the endless amounts of information available about his craft. While he loves to cook, the driving force behind Dave’s devotion is the guest. He strives every day to provide the best possible experience for each person who walks through the door.