Mark Tarbell became fascinated with cooking at a young age. At age 14, Mark was given Jacques Pepin’s La Technique as a gift and it started his culinary journey. At 18, Mark Tarbell completed a culinary apprenticeship at the Sonnesta Hotel in Amsterdam, Holland. Upon its conclusion, he went to study at culinary school in Paris, Ecole du Cuisine La Varenne, earning a Grande Diplome d’Etude Culinaire. Mark followed up his culinary education with a diploma from Steven Spurrier’s l’Academie du Vin.
Following his work at Michelin starred restaurants abroad and at home, Mark followed his dream to open his own restaurant. In 1994, Mark opened Tarbell’s Restaurant. Tarbell’s has earned more than 50 City “Best Of” and industry awards, including Food & Wine Best Restaurant. He has personally cooked for music and entertainment legends as well as political and sports celebrities and has been nominated for James Beard “Best Chef – Southwest”. Mark has appeared on many national and statewide programs, including winning on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America”, featured chef on Good Morning Arizona for 15 years, as well as programs like “Good Morning America” and the “Today Show in NYC”. Mark has appeared and cooked 11 dinners at the James Beard House and contributed to and cooked for hundreds of charities over the years. Mark has won four Emmy Award’s as the host of AZ PBS’s “Plate and Pour” and “Check, Please! Arizona” and is a two time inductee into The Arizona Hall of Culinary Fame as Outstanding Chef and Media Master.
Mark Tarbell’s restaurants and retail wine shops include Tarbell’s Restaurant, T’s Wine Bar, The Wine Store, Tarbell’s Catering, Tarbell’s The Goods at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Terminal 4 and The Tavern at Terminal 3.
