Dave Kelly

• Dave designed, built, opened, and operated his own fine-dining restaurant and bar.
• In 2023, he visited almost a dozen single-malt distilleries in the Western Isles of Scotland for a story on Islay-style whisky.
• In 2018, Florida Country and Coast Magazine contracted with him to contribute freelance travel and dining stories to each issue for its bimonthly publication. He was promoted to senior travel editor the next year.

Experience

Dave spent the better part of two decades working in the beer industry, much of it running the bar and restaurant division of a major supplier. After years of helping business owners successfully curate drink lists that included the finest beers in the craft brewing channel, he ventured out on his own and opened The Morgan House Restaurant & Trading Post in Ft. Myers, Florida, where he honed his culinary skills. After selling his restaurant, he founded David Kelly Consulting, where he collaborates with privately owned companies to help them market their establishments on the Internet and on social media. He travels regularly throughout the United States, the Caribbean, and the UK, constantly seeking new pleasures for his taste buds. Dave is a proud member of the Editor's Council of the Society of American Travel Writers' Eastern Chapter.

Education

Dave was an English major at the University of Florida in Gainesville.