CHEF MARK FARMER BIO Mark Farmer is a fiercely talented, highly qualified chef from Cape Town, South Africa, who is as passionate about discovering unique gastronomic indulgences as he is about seeking new adventures and seeing the world from every angle. From the silver spoons of mega yachts in the Mediterranean to the wooden spoons of South African townships, to the work-a-day world of quaint villages in Spain, Thailand, New Zealand, or Norway, Mark has amassed a smorgasbord of experience. As a private chef to the wealthy, Mark exhilarates his clients with his audacious cooking and his playful spirit. Combining opposing flavours, Mark’s dishes, no matter how extravagant or every day, explode in your mouth with one word, “WOW!”  Considering his culinary audaciousness, Mark’s motto might as well be: “If I didn’t invent it, I can certainly rival it.” Mark's earliest memories of food are the delicious Sunday roasts his father used to cook for the family, in Hout Bay, Cape Town. In those days, men didn't spend any time in the kitchen … so cooking a roast with his father every Sunday left a deep impression … and soon cooking became a passion. Fuelled by this discovery, Mark got himself a job, during school holidays, working in Mariners Wharf, a now-famous seafood restaurant in Hout Bay, kick-starting his education as a chef. But this path was soon diverted when he was drafted to S.A.M.S (South African Medical School) during Apartheid where he became an Operational Medic. As fate would have it, he was wounded during a skirmish and relieved of his duties. His options were now messed, hall cook or veterinarian. The choice was clear … cook! From there, after a General’s daughter recommended his innate capabilities as a chef, he gained valuable experience in various positions at various restaurants in South Africa and England, including London’s famed Chop House and Babylon, Roof Gardens. Many years and many meals later, Mark was cooking for wealthy businessmen and women of London at their exclusive estates. But he thirsted for new adventures and new cultures, so he set out to conquer the world. He plated his way to the position of in-flight chef for the Kingdom of Bahrain’s principal airline, Gulf Air, and then expanded his domain to the yachts of princes and princesses of Dubai, Oman, and Russia. His artistry extended itself to creating culinary wonders at elite “art-in-the-garden” galas in the foothills of Cannes and holiday extravaganzas for hundreds of guests in the mountains of Monaco, to catering at the Grand Prix, to consulting at private game lodges in Botswana, to private beach parties on the northern shores of the Balearic Isles and private islands in Seychelles, to being helicoptered by Italian billionaires to fabulous vessels in the Mediterranean and all over the world. As a travelling global chef, Mark crisscrosses the world and carries away various cultural and culinary treasures. Whether in a nautical galley, a fine dining estate, a private game lodge, or out in the elements using earth ovens, billycans, or fire pits, Mark concocts ingenious dishes from indigenous ingredients. From the exotic to the whimsical, he whips up familiar dishes in unexpected ways, or unfamiliar delicacies with a contemporary flair. Porcupine Pie, Pudding de Anima (blood pudding sausage), Tarzan Leg of Lamb, Masonja (purple caterpillar stew), Peri-Peri Pepper Spray Chicken, Caza Marzu (maggot cheese), Pè Moulen (fried lionfish burgers), Tomato Soda Pop, Avocado Bacon Breakfast Smoothie, Strawberry Olive Chips & Cream, Espresso Dishwasher Vodka, or Mac-n-Cheese Vodka shots are a taste of the fun Mark has in the kitchen. Be it vegetarian, French classical, African traditional, Neo-Classic American, Asian, Nouvelle, Fusion or any other cuisine, Mark creates it with a ‘Farmerific’ twist. If you’re looking to spice up your everyday fare, you’re looking in the right place. Mark is anything but conventional. Possessing the soul of a true adventurer, Mark eschews a “normal” life, even the life of a celebrity chef. Rather than preside over a fussy dining room full of VIPs, collecting Michelin stars, he chooses to freelance, picking jobs based on their proximity to the excitement and exotic locales. Slicing and dicing on a luxury yacht for royalty or billionaires (or both) one moment then blazing and grazing his way through a rainforest in pursuit of the highest waterfall to BASE jump is MF’s M.O. He’s a high-energy, fast-talking, adrenaline junkie and culinary virtuoso, who can’t sit still. Continually on the move, he jumps out of aeroplanes or off of buildings, rappels down mountains or rock climbs up them, kayaks up or rafts down white water rapids, anything for a thrill. Unearthing the world, Mark is always seeking the next adrenaline rush, the next exquisite meal. The fervour he puts into his cooking is ignited by the same spirit and exhilaration that completes his life: extreme sports. If you can keep up with chef Mark Farmer, you’re in for the most delectable ride of your life! [Warning: This MF’s desire for adventure is fervently contagious. I am chef Mark Farmer and I approve this bio. I want to spice up your life by bringing my global adventures and culturally inspired food to your table. Hire me. I dare you!