Mark

Mark on the Hot Seat

1. What inspired you to become a Chef?

My nana had a small shop, more of a food cart, in the neighborhood. He’d sell hotdogs, pretzels, and other fast-foods. He had to constantly add new things to keep up with the competition and stay relevant, and one day decided to add a small juicer so his customers can beat the summer heat. But he was overworked and couldn’t afford an employee to run the juicer, and right on cue, I took over with little to no idea about how to use it. But once I started, it really grew on me. Long story cut short, the juices in my nana’s tiny shop alone made more income than all other eatables combined. So, my nana insisted I have a gift, and here I am, doing it for a living for myself. So, all thanks to nana I guess.

2. What is your signature dish? What do people love about it?

It’s the first juice I served on my job – the Berry Punch. This drink is not limited to one niche of customers. You start loving it as a teenager at high school parties, and then college mixers, and then adult barbeques, and old age kitty parties. That’s probably the reason it also is a best seller, so both economically and emotionally, this drink is my signature dish.

3. How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy?

Spontaneous. I don’t plan an elaborate menu or to-do list for my day at work. I let the fruits decide what they wanna be paired with, or if the customers are too choosy, then I let them decide, haha. Juice is a light-hearted, thirst-quenching, healthy, fresh, and breezy cuisine… and to reflect that, it’s important to make it with a spontaneous mind and hand.

4. If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

Wow, that’s difficult. I’m knee-deep and happy in my current profession, so I have never given that a thought. But at the top of my head, I think I’d be an organizer. Yes, apart from making good juice, I am a sucker for neatly organized things. I’d definitely make a business out of it now that more and more people are super-busy in their jobs and need a hand in maintaining an organized closet which is basically an organized lifestyle. You should sometimes visit my plate, you’ll see what I am talking about. This is another trait my nana passed down to me, discipline. 

5. When you’re not busy in the kitchen, what hobbies do you indulge in?

I like wine tasting. I love visiting wineries and just tasting away all the wine there is, and then being driven home by a friend haha. I also visit vineyards where you get a bigger picture of how the wines are made. I do get myself some grapes for my Grape Juice recipe. Fresh and organic fruits always make the best juices, needless to say. Apart from that, umm let’s see… oh I like photography too. I love taking pictures of the fresh fruits, juices, and the process of making them. Some of my photographs are featured on the official Star Chef 2 Facebook page, you should check them out.