David Kendrick was born and raised in Rhode Island. After school, in 1974, he went to work for the International Foods Corporation in California where he became interested in the culinary world. He went on to apprentice at several restaurants, first in California, then on the east coast of southern Florida. He learned the bright flavors of South Florida and the Caribbean cuisines, as he worked at some of the finest restaurants in both regions.

In 1985, on a trip to visit his sister on the island of St Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, he discovered that the island was a place he could put his personal stamp on a menu and its hospitality. In 1986, in an eighteenth century Great House in the heart of Christiansted, St Croix, Chef Kendrick and his wife and partner, Jane, opened “Kendricks”.
Three years later, hurricane Hugo struck the island, destroying 90% of the island, including Kendricks. After rebuilding and moving to a new location in Gallows Bay, Kendricks was one of the first restaurants, besides Top Hat, to reopen during the recovery.

In 1997, the Great Chefs Television crew took a seaplane and flew into Christiansted, after filming on Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the BVI, to film Great Chef Michael Madsen of Villa Madeline; Danish Great Chef Bent Rasmussen of Top Hat; and Chef David Kendrick, for their Great Chefs of the Caribbean television series.
Chef Kendrick prepared a Swordfish Piccata entrée and a Sponge Cake with Sautéed Bananas and Spiced Rum Butter for the Caribbean series, and Caribbean Lobster Spring Rolls for the Great Chefs of the World series.

Shortly after filming in 1999, Chef David moved Kendricks from Gallows Bay back to downtown Christiansted in another old Great House, and ran restaurant Kendricks for another 14 years, and was featured in Bon Appétit, Gourmet magazines and did a feature in the Weber Grills/Great Chefs special in 2000.

Chef Kendrick closed down Kendricks and retired in mid 2014 due to health issues.