Chef Mark featured in the USA Today!

The AP published an article on Wednesday on the growing popularity of personal chefs -- starring me! I'm amazed at how many outlets across the country have picked this piece up, including Business Week, the Miami Herald, San Jose Mercury News, Florida Times Union, Arizona Republic, ABCNews.com, The Huffington Post, etc.

It appears in the business section of USA Today, along with a big photo of me chopping herbs in a client's kitchen, but you can see the AP version here:
Popularity of Personal Chefs Rises

Excerpt below:

Mark Tafoya, who owns the New York-based ReMARKable Palate personal chef service, cooks for regular weekly clients and also offers one-time meal services, such as romantic dinners for two.

Tafoya prepares the meals in the client's home, with the dishes ranging from chicken enchiladas with a green tomatillo sauce to crab lasagna with bechamel sauce.

For regular clients, the week's meals are discussed in advance and are created in accordance with their dietary needs and personal tastes. Organic, vegetarian and kosher options are available and nothing is repeated for six months unless requested, he said.

Tafoya said that by cooking for the same clients over a long time, he's able to develop a kind of intimacy and customization that restaurant chefs just aren't able to.

"I think that when I do hit it off and when they like my food and I understand them and what they like to eat, I can suggest new dishes that they might not have tried before, but I think might be right for them," Tafoya said.

Tafoya said he was drawn to the profession after careers in acting and teaching. He saw it as a way to turn his love of food and cooking into a viable business.

Along with the ReMARKable Palate, Tafoya also is the co-owner and executive chef of The Gilded Fork, an online media company featuring recipes, podcasts and articles and blogs about food.

Tafoya said his typical weekly clients are incredibly busy, career-oriented people who don't have time to cook, but still appreciate a quality meal.



gilded fork, food, food writing, personal chefs, Chef Mark Tafoya