Chef Mark Tafoya
Executive Chef / Executive Producer
Mark C. Tafoya is a world traveler and self-taught gourmand, and brings a unique air of aesthetic elegance to the pursuit of culinary adventure. His eloquence is effortlessly conveyed through both the written and spoken word, earning him a nod from Bon Appetit magazine as one of the most compelling culinary podcasters in the new medium with his ReMARKable Palate Podcast.
Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mark has a soft spot for the foods of the Southwest — green and red chiles, carne adovada, and posole are the foods he grew up loving. Educated at Yale University, Mark began his international food exploration while studying in France; Paris offered a broad education in finding fresh, top-quality ingredients, as well as making the best use of what was locally available.
After graduating from Yale with a B.A. in French Literature and Theater Studies, he spent ten years as a New York actor; he was a member of Tony Randall’s National Actor’s Theater, sharing a Broadway stage with George C. Scott, Charles Durning, and Mr. Randall, as well as acting in Independent films.
Mark has learned about many world cuisines first-hand, and mastered many of his recipes at the source. Favorite locations and cuisines include Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Italy, Ireland, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Spain, and Greece; he continues to broaden his knowledge base through travel and cultural exchange with other cooks throughout the world. In Mark’s commitment to a multicultural approach to life, he embraces the ideal that one of the best ways we can learn to understand, and indeed celebrate each other, is through cuisine. Something as seemingly small as our approach to food can transform the world in ways both small and vast.
Mark is the Chef/Owner of the ReMARKable Palate Personal Chef Service in New York, NY and a graduate of the Culinary Business Academy. He serves on the National Advisory Council for the U. S. Personal Chef Association, and was twice honored as the USPCA’s Marketer of the Year for 2006 and in 2008.
As Executive Chef and Culinary Editor for The Gilded Fork, Mark brings a unique specialization in micro-cuisines to our repertoire, expanding our flavor horizons ever farther as we explore foodstuffs from around the globe. He is also President of The Gilded Fork, LLC, a new media company he launched in 2006 with business partner Jennifer Iannolo. The same year, the company launched the Culinary Podcast Network, the world’s first all-food podcast channel, which was later renamed Culinary Media Network, and has received more than 2 million downloads to date.
In addition, Mark is the co-founder of Adventures in Gastronomy, LLC, a new media consulting firm providing strategic services for companies ranging from new media startups to large financial institutions. He has also worked with restaurant startups and food service businesses to design customized menus.
In recognition of his work as a personal chef and podcaster, Mark has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Time Out New York, Bon Appetit and the New York Times. He currently resides in Manhattan with his feisty miniature pinscher (and official Gilded Fork taster) Stiva.
Mark is available for consulting and live cooking appearances. For more information, please contact (917) 405-0088 or chefmark [at] gildedfork [dot] com.