Cook's Kitchen & Bath, Inc.

David Cook: From Restaurants to Remodeling

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource

VALLEJO — Despite having an innate predilection for building, David Cook spent the bulk of his early career working in the restaurant business. Eventually, however, he decided to take a chance and pursue his professional passion. “I’ve always loved working with my hands and building things…let’s just say I had the best treehouse on the block when I was a kid,” he laughs. “Later, I ended up in the restaurant business, where I got stuck for many years until I finally burned out. I decided it was time to follow my heart and do what I really loved, so I went to work for a general contractor in San Francisco.”

It was during this time that David got an opportunity to enter a specialized area of the field, although he initially rejected it. “I was offered a job from a guy at my church who installed kitchen cabinets,” he recounts. “I politely declined, but less than a month later, the contractor I worked for laid everyone off, so I went back to him and asked if the offer still stood. After working with him for a while, I realized that while he was good at installing cabinets, he wasn’t so good at the administrative aspects, so I decided to get my license and start doing my own thing.”

Today, as owner of Cook’s Kitchen & Bath, Inc., David says he enjoys the inherent variety his career entails, as well as the sense of accomplishment he derives from it. “In this line of work, every job is different, which keeps things challenging. It’s also neat to stand back, look at what we accomplished for our clients and see the reactions on their faces.”

Born in Chicago, David moved to California when he was five years old; today, he resides in Vallejo with his wife, Tina. Outside of work, he spends much of his time hanging out with family and enjoying the outdoors. “Tina and I don’t have any kids together, but we have four kids and six grandkids between us, so we spend a lot of time with family,” he says. “I’m also pretty outdoorsy, and I like going camping and skiing. Additionally, since I love my profession, I enjoy working on my house, as well as on developing and improving my business.”

When asked the first thing he’d do if he could retire tomorrow, David says he’d spend some time doing charity work before heading out for an extended vacation. “One of my business coaches is currently raising money to build 5,000 homes in Nicaragua for the extremely poor. I’d love to be a part of something like that and use my abilities to help those in need. I’d also like to do some more traveling—at the moment, Bora Bora is at the top of my list.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What’s your favorite sports team?
A: The San Francisco Giants.

Q: What’s your favorite snack?
A: Grapes.

Q: If you could travel to the past or the future, which would you choose?
A: The future—it’s not good to live in the past.

Q: What was your favorite toy as a child?
A: My fishing pole.

Q: Pancakes or waffles?
A: Waffles.