David Fhima joined the Life Time Fitness team as Executive Chef in November 2006.

Born in Casablanca, Morocco, David Fhima has been a part of the restaurant industry from the early age of 10 helping in his sister’s restaurant. He acquired his love of food from his mother of Spanish heritage (“the greatest chef in the world”) even before the age of 10 by eating home cooked breakfasts, lunches and dinners, never remembering the same meal twice! From his Sicilian father, he acquired his great love and passion for people and exquisite wines. Appeasing his father’s wishes, David received a BA in mechanical engineering from the University of Geneva and a mechanical art degree from ORT in Strasbourg. While attending school, David’s summers and school breaks would be spent working in his sister’s restaurant, La Ferme Des Grande Chenes, in St. Raphael, France.

From there he realized his love of food and studied culinary arts while being tutored by world famous chefs such as Andre Averseng and Jean Francois Meteigner— to name only a few. Through his culinary studies David has earned credentials as a sommelier, pastry chef and Escoffier which have taken him all around the world in cities including Casablanca, Paris, Strasbourg, Geneva, London, Miami, Los Angeles and Minneapolis.

Working and owning a variety of Relais chateau, fine dining, casual dining and trend setting restaurants— such as L’orangerie, Le Restaurant, Albion’s, Marks, Fhima’s Louis XIII, ZahTar by Fhima— David has earned awards ranging from Best New Chef to Top Ten Chef from food critics around the world. Fhima has appeared in numerous articles in over a hundred magazines including: Wine Spectator, Bon Appétit, Los Angeles Times, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Midwest Home and Travel magazine. He has also been featured on a range of television shows from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous to Betty Crocker 350 degrees. David has written hundreds of food articles, taught master culinary classes and is consistently involved in charity events such as Feed the Children, Children’s Heartlink, Perspectives, Starkey Hearing, Juvenile Diabetes and Share our Strength.  

David’s cuisine relies on the basic premise that all food that is 100 percent natural and well executed becomes an art. He brings his multi-cultural heritage— David speaks seven languages fluently— to his cooking which, at its core, is classical French execution with authentic Mediterranean flavors. He has pioneered various cooking techniques combining flavors from Franco Asian to Spanish Moroccan cuisines. While his awards, certificates and accolades are plentiful, David is most proud of the awards and recognition he has earned in his work with charities and with his family.