Born in Prince Edward Island, Mark was bitten by the food bug when, as a teenager, he took a part time job at a Sunday buffet. His creative interest was piqued when he learned to carve swans from apples and realized that food could be artistic as well as tasty and nutritious. After high school and some university biology courses Mark was drawn back to the food industry and completed his Red Seal training at the Culinary Institute of Canada at Holland College in Charlottetown.

The industry has given Mark the opportunity to challenge himself and to travel. He has worked on cruise ships in the Arctic and Antarctic, weathered hurricanes in Bermuda, looked after sport fishers in the Queen Charlotte Islands and now is making an impact at the Swiftsure Restaurant & Lounge on the Inner Harbour. His creativity continues to be useful as Mark loves to develop new menus and recipes and to play with the presentation of dishes.

Growing up on the east coast and living in Victoria since 1998 Mark has an appreciation for "real" food: locally grown fresh ingredients, sauces and reductions from scratch, seafood, and game. At the same time his travels introduced him to a variety of foods and cuisine and along the way he even learned a smattering of Russian. Teaching courses for the Canadian Diabetic Association keeps Mark grounded in healthy foods balancing some of the more decadent items on the modern menu.