He started cooking at an early age on the family farm in Rockingham County, Virginia, where good old southern cooking was prominent. Little did he know that his chosen career in the Central Intelligence Agency would take him the world over where he has learned about many culinary traditions.

David Bowman with his family has resided in Australia, Vietnam, Thailand (where his son and daughter were born), India, Philippines and Liberia, visiting many other nations for shorter periods. Wherever he was, he was doing some cooking at home.

As he grew up, David did odd jobs on the farm and later on his father’s beef cattle farm in Shenandoah County. Beginning with the eighth grade, David entered Massanutten Military Academy. Following graduation Dave, along with six of his friends, joined the Marines where he served for four years.

Returning to civilian life David entered college and graduated in two-and-a-half years. He began working and was married in 1966. He later went back to sc...