Waite is known for using the whole fish. Creating quite a buzz, he will often serve every last bit, from eyeballs to fish sperm. By purchasing whole fish, he and his team can feature a range of cuts that represent a variety of flavors and textures. The skin of the fish is fried to make chips, ribs and collars are served together with Korean chili wing sauce, trim pieces are used for their fish balls, and bones are simmered to make fish gravy. This way they are able to feature the most tender cuts for poke and sashimi specials and ensure that the remaining parts are featured in ways that are creative and delicious.

In 2017, Chef Davin was a keynote speaker at the California Resource and Recovery Conference, where he broke down a whole fish on stage to demonstrate how each part can be used to make delicious menu items, down to the ribs, skin and marrow. Providing an educational yet inspirational presentation, it was so well-received it became one of the most sought-after demonstrations on sustainability for the region.

Waite began his career as a sushi chef at Ichiban in Santa Barbara under the instruction of Chef Hiro, a local legend and master of sushi as well as French and Italian Cuisine. Returning to North San Diego County he went to Cafe Japengo, and in 2003 he returned to his hometown of Oceanside to co-found The Fish Joint. With his next project Chef Davin created a restaurant in his own image; scrappy, irreverent, and constantly pushing boundaries. Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub began as a pop-up but quickly became a destination for those who appreciated Waite’s creative and delicious approach to minimizing waste and celebrating local and

sustainably sourced products.

Waite aims to stay in a state of consistent innovation and creation to teach and inspire. He has taught sustainable cooking techniques to elementary students, culinary students and city officials. He has spoken on panels on topics including using underutilized species and sourcing from local farmers. His work and expertise have been employed by the famous Scripps Institute of Oceanography and San Diego Food System Alliance. He has also supported organizations like the Berry Good Foundation. Most recently he has collaborated on grants with Scripps Institute of Oceanography and NOAA Fisheries in efforts to popularize sustainable cooking techniques, turning bycatch and less utilized cuts into marketable dishes. Waite's menus reflect his values as he continues to evolve as a chef and as an advocate.

Waite has continued his culinary evolution in the direction of plant-based cuisine with his next project, The Plot. He gives veggies the respect they deserve in a playful and creative way, which he jokingly refers to as ultra-sustainable seafood. Chef Davin’s newest venture, Shootz Fish and Beer is an opportunity for him to collaborate with

friends and have some fun, celebrating the ocean and the food of Baja, Hawaii and California, three cuisines that are very close to his heart. The offerings are seafood forward, featuring poke, tacos and “stoner cuisine” that show off the playful irreverence that Chef Davin is known

for. 

Although Chef Davin’s passion revolves around his culinary wizardry, his team is equally dedicated to managing all their waste products. They try to compost as much as possible and recycle the rest.