Daniel LaGarde was exposed to the culinary industry as a very young boy, coming from a family that was immersed in the business. Helping out in his uncle’s catering business as “chef of the night,” the diligent four-year-old’s job was to hand out plates to wedding guests at the start of the buffet line. LaGarde’s father was the chef/proprietor of several restaurants, further impacting the youth’s development. It is no wonder that LaGarde set out to make the art of cuisine his life’s passion.
“I grew up eating, sleeping, living in the world of food,” said LaGarde. “I loved every moment of my childhood that revolved around food,” he continued. LaGarde, a Quebec native, was schooled at the Culinary Arts Barthelemy Joilette in Quebec, receiving his Culinary Arts degree in 1986. His first job following graduation was as chef garde manger for The Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. From there, he spent more than 15 years at various Hilton Hotels, including the Miami Airport Hilton, Capital Hilton in Washington D.C., The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago and Brunswick Hilton and Towers in New Jersey. He also opened Chateau Joliette, in Joliette, Canada, setting up the entire culinary operation for the property.
In 2004, LaGarde decided to leave the snow behind and move to Hawaii as executive chef of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa in Waikiki. LaGarde oversees a culinary operation that includes indoor and outdoor catered functions, ten dining outlets and a staff of 140. He makes it a point to incorporate local ingredients into the daily menus, to include Kahuku shrimp and corn; fresh island fish; Manoa lettuce; hearts of palm; and a variety of micro greens from Nalo Farms.
LaGarde enjoys the variety of ethnicities and backgrounds that he has within his culinary team. “The staff is such a diverse group of talent that we all learn from each other,” said LaGarde. “As a result, the Hilton Hawaiian Village has been a wonderful experience for me professionally,” he added.
LaGarde has received numerous awards and honors from culinary organizations and competitions, including two gold, eight silver and four bronze judge awards. He was the grand prize winner of the Idaho Rainbow Trout Recipe Contest and named “Chef of the Year, Mauricie/Lanaudiere Region,” in 1992 from the Quebec Chef’s Association. LaGarde has prepared meals for such dignitaries as President Bill Clinton; President of Israel, Ezer Wiezman; former President of South Africa, Frederick DeClerk; Prince of Saudi Arabia, Bandar Bin Sultan; Prince of Spain, Juan Carlos; President of France, Francois Mitterand, among others.
LaGarde has appeared across the U.S. and Canada on television, in industry magazines and as a guest chef at regional festivals.
Although his daily routine at Hilton Hawaiian Village can be quite intense, LaGarde makes sure to spend quality time with his wife and two children. His other diversions include golf and rollerblading.
LaGarde has come a long way since wearing size 4 whites on the wedding buffet lines, and is now one of the most respected chefs in the industry today.