Chef Mark Starr.
Mark Starr has a wealth of culinary experience beneath his toque. Starr, a proud father and husband, has an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts from the New England Culinary Institute. He further honed his culinary chops under James Beard Award Chef of the Year award-winner Judy Rogers. Currently, Starr owns a catering business in Hendersonville where he offers a carry-out experience well beyond your typical greasy box of Chinese. Chef Starr To Go is take out and catering only and features a wide array of gourmet prepared foods to brighten any table. Starr recently took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for Bold Life.
What is your idea of perfect happiness? A lazy fall afternoon with my wife and son in the wilderness.
What is your greatest fear? Running out of garlic.
What is your inspiration? Farm fresh ingredients.
Which person, alive or dead, do you most admire? Jim Henson.
What is your guiltiest pleasure? Can I plead the 5th?
What is your current state of mind? Laid back.
What is the quality you most like in a person? Honesty.
What is the quality you least like in a person? Apathy.
Which talent would you most like to have? Carpentry.
Which habit would you most like to be rid of? Eating Shawna’s cookies straight from the oven.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Opening Chef Starr To Go 3 years ago in August.
What would you choose to be if you were to be reincarnated? An eagle.
What is your biggest vice? CHOCOLATE!!!
What is your favorite thing to do on a cold day? Go sledding with my son Andrew.
What would you cook for the President? Osso Bucco, with braised baby vegetables and new potatoes.
Who would you most like to have dinner with? Heather, my wife (without the kid).
What is your favorite culinary tool? 8″ chef knife. After 15+ years I still love dicing onions.
What is your idea of hell on earth? Nothing to choose from but fast food restaurants
What quality do you most value in your friends? Loyalty.
Who is your favorite chef? Alice Waters.
Who is your favorite writer? Tom Robbins.
Who are your heroes in real life? Volunteers who give of their time and spirit.
What is it that you most dislike? Closed-mindedness.
What food could you not live without? Pizza.
What music could you not live without? Good live music.
How would you like to die? Having lived a full life.
How would you like to live? In the moment.
What is your motto? Thrive outside your comfort zone.
To learn more about Chef Starr, visit www.chefstartogo.com.