A Journey with Chef Mark Brown
The transition from working in a Michelin-starred restaurant to becoming a private chef is not always something you plan—sometimes it just happens by chance.
At least, that's how it unfolded for Private Chef Mark Brown. Having spent six years as an Executive Chef in London’s prestigious Sloane Square, he found himself cooking for a vibrant and exuberant CEO of a hedge fund, a role that took him on unexpected adventures across the globe.
“I’d been working as an Executive Chef in Sloane Square for six years, while also privately cooking for a CEO where the thrills and spills of private households took me around the globe,” Chef Mark explains.
The experience proved to be the perfect blend of excitement and challenge, catapulting him from the high-paced, precision-driven world of restaurant kitchens to the equally demanding—but wildly different—universe of private households. And while many chefs dream of the glamorous locales private cooking offers, Chef Mark has lived it: yachts and private islands in the Caribbean, villas in Italy and Greece, sun-soaked kitchens in California and the Hamptons—the list goes on.
“The old adage of 'right place, right time' definitely played its part in my culinary journey while also affording me the chance to cook abroad,” he says.
But while private cheffing might seem like a dream job, filled with exotic travel and luxurious settings, it comes with its own unique set of challenges—something Chef Mark is quick to acknowledge.
“Provisioning is number one,” he emphasizes. “Working in foreign countries, it always takes a while to get to know where the best fish market, butcher, or even dry store is, so acclimatising quickly is key.”
Every new location presents its own set of obstacles. Chefs working in private households must not only adapt to unfamiliar environments, but also work with whatever ingredients are available, which might not always align with what they’re used to back home. Navigating these challenges requires versatility, creativity, and a keen eye for quality, regardless of where they are in the world.
And it’s not just about the food. Private chefs are often asked to be versatile beyond the kitchen. They cater to diverse and sometimes demanding palates, juggle unexpected requests, and work in dynamic, fast-paced environments that can shift with little notice.
According to Chef Mark, success as a private chef is about more than just cooking amazing food. “Keeping on your toes and being versatile, while maintaining an amazing repertoire, I’d say are the main attributes of success in private households as a chef.”
Though his journey from restaurant kitchens to private households wasn’t planned, it’s clear that Chef Mark Brown has embraced every opportunity along the way. His ability to balance the excitement of global travel with the demands of high-level cooking has earned him a place among the most sought-after private chefs in the industry.
For those considering the leap from restaurants to private households, Chef Mark’s story serves as a testament to the unexpected opportunities that can arise when passion, skill, and a bit of luck intersect.
