Name: David Mora
Facebook: @ghostranchaz
Instagram: @david83256 and @ghostranch_az
Website: ghostranchaz.com
Age: 33
Title: Executive Chef
Married/Single: Married
Kids: Stepdaughter and two dogs that act like kids
City you live in: Chandler
A typical day in my life includes… lots of food, smells, chilis, the southwest and the continuous race against time.
I was born… I was born in Medellin, Colombia but raised in north Miami Beach.
My favorite thing about Arizona… that I can be in the hot desert one minute and the next, I could be deep in snow.
I’m listening to… right now, as I’m doing this questionnaire at work, I have Prince Royce’s “Stand by Me” playing in the background. I’m not too picky when it comes to music as long as there’s something playing.
My family… is my everything, my solid ground. They are unconditionally always there for me and I love them all for that.
If I could have dinner with anyone… it would definitely be Antony Bourdain.
One thing I cannot live without… comfortable shoes for my long work hours.
When I was younger, I wanted to be… a famous soccer player, playing for the best soccer team and driving Ferraris on my downtime. Clearly that didn’t exactly pan out, ha!
I’m inspired by… people that hustle and gets things done.
The one person who motivates me is… myself. I believe that motivation comes from within.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be… a world without greed, it’s the root of all evil.
The perfect day would be… waking up somewhere close to the beach, going scuba diving, getting fresh seafood to make some kind of ceviche and enjoying time with my loved ones.
My first job was… a dishwasher. I lasted about two months.
My favorite escape… being in nature, going on a hike to a place with a water waterfalls and hot springs.
My life… is about learning something every day, constant growth and just trying to enjoy it while figuring out what we’re all really doing here.
I’m currently working on… a better life for me and those around me.
Always… think twice before doing or saying something, always be grateful for being alive and appreciate the opportunities you get.
Never… never ever give up, dreams do come true.
Favorite Quote… its funny because I keep repeating this one, “do stupid things get stupid results”. But my personal favorite would be, Bruce Lee’s quote about water.
“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
Biggest Dream… would be to go to space.
My Pet Peeve(s)… when people do things with no love or self-conviction.
More About David Mora:
David Mora leads Ghost Ranch’s kitchen as executive chef. Born in Colombia and raised in Florida, Mora began his culinary career in Miami, where he fell in love with the diversity and the ever-expanding U.S. food world.
He comes to Ghost Ranch after stints at Copa Café in Flagstaff, Mariposa in Sedona, and The Boulders, where he served as sous chef at Palo Verde and chef de cuisine at the Spotted Donkey. He lives in Chandler with his wife, a pastry chef specializing in savage tarts and freak shakes, and his stepdaughter, a budding violinist.
When he’s not cooking ribeye with Argentinian chimichurri, green chile enchiladas, and the perfectly cooked egg, he enjoys hiking, seeking out great hot springs, and foraging for local mushrooms.
