CHEF MARK GARCIA

Born and raised in the Bronx, Mark worked at fast-casual restaurants throughout high school before attending SUNY Delhi for culinary arts. During his time there, he gravitated towards cooking competitions, even the winning Ment'or BKB Young Chef Competition, which led him to work at James Beard award-winning Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis. Mark has also worked at renowned eateries in New York, including Eleven Madison Park (3 Michelin Stars), Bouchon Bakery, and Milu. In 2021, he was tapped by EMP to help launch their plant-based pantry program and was a sous chef there for two years. Mark was most recently a sous chef at Greg Baxtrom's esteemed Five Acres, and is currently a freelance private chef.