Mark Best

Mark Best became a chef by default. There were no overwhelming urges to cook from infancy, no memories of Nan’s apple pie or mum’s apron strings. A sparkie in the WA goldmines and later in the submarines at Sydney’s Cockatoo Island it was not until he was 25, doing a stint to help out at a mate’s restaurant, that Best discovered cooking. The restaurant was Macleay Street Bistro, it was in its heyday, and Best fell in love.

Now, a little over 15 years later, Best is one of the best. His cooking is world renowned and he is among a distinguished few to achieve 19/20 in the Good Food Guide. Situated in Surry Hills, Marque Restaurant is an elegant 50-seater, and each night Best aims to get those 50 people excited, and his food certainly achieves that … it is pure gastronomic porn. At home Best cooks simply, the French and Italian regional dishes he favours are often limited to one pot, which is guided by his tastebuds as much as his family’s self-regulating rule “he who cooks does the dishes.” For the home chefs seeking his advice Best recommends planning and preparation as the keys to a good meal, that and keeping the washing up to a minimum!