Chef Daniel Friedrich was born in San Angelo, TX at Angelo Community Hospital. He was raised in San Angelo and attended school at Bowie Elementary, Glenn Junior High, and he graduated from San Angelo Central High School in 1995. While at Central, Daniel played trumpet in the Bobcat Band and cello in the Central Orchestra and took his first cooking class as well. During his time in high school, Daniel also ate lunch at Mr. T’s Deli.
Daniel began his pursuit of culinary training at Odessa College and then changed course by moving to Denver, Colorado where he went to work at the Loews Georgio Hotel. He worked there for two years as the evening station chef and made the decision to enter the American Culinary Federation’s Apprentice program. He began the three year, 6,000-hour apprenticeship program working full time for Chef Tim Fields at the Loews Georgio Hotel and his ACF instructor Chef Joachim Schaaf at Warren Tech in Denver. These two talented chefs had an impact on Daniel’s cooking skills and his passion for creating flavorful food with artistic presentations. He developed a passion for the culinary arts and continued to gain experience in many venues after graduation as an American Culinary Federation Certified Culinarian in 2001.
Daniel left the Loews Hotel after graduation and went to work as a Sous Chef at the Odyssey Café in Denver for a short time when a corporate buyout changed his direction. He then worked at a Del Frisco Steakhouse where he mastered the art of cooking a really fine steak. He was then offered a Sous Chef position at the Green Gables Country Club where he continued to work on his creative cooking.
Chef Daniel then made a giant move to the Colorado High Country where he took the position of Executive Sous Chef of Banquets at the Silver Tree Hotel in Snowmass, Colorado. It is here where he learned to serve creative and tasty meals to people attending large banquet events and did it in short time frames so the food would be hot and enjoyable for the guests.
Daniel then was offered a Sous Chef position at Krabloonik Restaurant in Snowmass, Colorado. Here he worked in an unusual setting that included a wild game restaurant with a dog sled operation. Customers would enjoy a dog sled ride in the mountains followed by a fine dining experience where the menu was all wild game. Caribou, elk, venison, wild boar, trout, salmon, and pheasant were paired with various side dishes and desserts that captured the customer’s fantasy. In the summer, Dan MacEachen, owner of Krabloonik Restaurant, operated the T Lazy 7 Ranch near Aspen. It is here that Daniel was able to earn his way to his first Executive Chef position by making Texas mesquite smoked brisket and his own tangy BBQ sauce that Dan and his customers loved. He also ushered in Dutch Oven Cooking for the trailriders and hikers that visited the T Lazy 7. All these additions to the western experience landed Chef Daniel his first Executive Chef job at Krabloonik the next winter. It is this position and experience that really cemented his love for the culinary arts.
Daniel worked for Krabloonik for 7 years and then tired of his 70-mile commute from 5,400 ft to 10,900 ft elevation every day. He took his BBQ experience at T Lazy 7 Ranch to Silt, Colorado where he lived and he opened up Red Brick BBQ. Here he began making German-style sausage like he learned as a young boy from his Opa Gus A. Friedrich and his GrossPaPa Alvin Alberthal in Fredericksburg, Texas. He loved to hunt deer and making venison sausage and jerky was part of the experience. Folks loved all the smoked meats that Daniel prepared at Red Brick BBQ as well as the specialty sandwiches he prepared. This restaurant won the hearts of the citizens of the western slope of Colorado and all the oilfield workers in the area.
In 2013, with the oilfield losses in Colorado, Daniel had to pack up his Old Hickory BBQ Smoker, culinary training, and cooking experiences and move back to San Angelo. But all was not lost. He was hired as Executive Chef at the Clarion Hotel which was new to San Angelo. He began creating the restaurant which would come to be known as the Black Sheep Restaurant when Chef Guy of San Angelo Country Club called and offered him an Executive Sous Chef position in 2014. Chef Guy was going to retire in 2015 and wanted ACF Certified Chef Daniel to take over as Executive Chef. Daniel enjoyed that year working with Chef Guy where he learned more charcuterie related skills with meats. Large events brought catering opportunities for Chef Daniel that continued after Chef Guy retired.
Chef Daniel worked as the Executive Chef for San Angelo Country Club from 2015-2020 where he added his flair for cooking to the club experience. He brought the Sunday Brunch experience from Loews Georgio Hotel and added Texas favorites to the menu. He provided club members with dining options that made San Angelo Country Club the place to go for lunch or dinner or a special event. The San Angelo Club Partnership meals were celebrated by the golfers as the best food in west Texas golf tournaments. He made such San Angelo events as the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health fundraiser very exciting for the patrons with scrumptious meals and quick service.
Now he made the decision to reopen Mr. T’s Deli at 900 W. Ave J in San Angelo. He has a breakfast and lunch menu that will incorporate all the aspects of his training and his cooking passions combined with ultimate customer service so everyone can experience Chef Daniel’s version of Mr. T’s Deli.