Keith Daum started in the restaurant business at age 28 to help out a friend during the holiday season. To his surprise, he loved the business so much he enrolled in the C.I.A. Culinary Institute of America and it became his lifelong career.

Keith went on to open two 4 star hotels and three other fine dining restaurants in the Rochester, New York area. He became a certified Executive Chef and won two silver medals at the A.C.F. food shows.

In September of 1999 he vacationed in Sarasota to visit an old friend Bill Herlihy. Keith was offered a job as an Executive Chef at Cafe on The Bay. Not sure about living in Florida, Keith went back home to New York. The rain and snow quickly made up his mind and he is presently in the Sarasota area overseeing As Executive Chef 
Cafe L'Europe and Cafe on The Bay.