CHEFSMark AyersExecutive Chef
Chef Mark Ayers began cooking at the age of 15 in a family restaurant. After deciding a career as a chef suited him more than academia, he attended the Culinary Institute of America, graduating number one in his class in 1992 and being voted "Most Likely to Succeed." He began his career in Vail, Colorado, as Chef de Cuisine at Patina. Later, he served as Executive Sous Chef of the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek. While in Vail, Chef Ayers had the privilege of cooking for several high-profile people, including former president Gerald Ford in his private home. In 2002, he joined the staff of the Park Hyatt Carmel, Highlands Inn as Executive Sous Chef under Cal Stamenov, and was named Executive Chef in July 2003. Mark is the creative visionary behind Pacific's Edge, noted in 2005 as a Distinguished Restaurant of North America (DiRoNA). Under Mark's direction, Pacific's Edge has garnered many awards, including "Top 10 Restaurants in the Country with a View" by USA Today and "Top 100 Hotel Restaurants" by Zagat. The wine list featuring more than 1,700 labels is a perennial "Grand Award" winner from Wine Spectator. Mark was the featured guest chef at the James Beard House in November 2004, participating in its "Great Hotel Chef" series. "East Meets West" in Maine, "Chef's Classic" in Kansas City, and "Share our Strength" in Santa Fe are just a few of the culinary events that Mark has participated in. Mark has also been invited to judge the "almost famous" chef competition and participates in the Monterey Peninsula community, including visiting local elementary schools and hosting students on property each year for Camp Hyatt. Chef Ayers is instrumental in the planning and execution of the Masters of Food & Wine, one of the world's most significant food and wine events, in its 21st year of existence. Mark orchestrates this great gathering of world-renowned chefs and winemakers and has played host to Todd English, Gerard Boyer, Charlie Palmer, Bradley Ogden, Roy Yamaguchi, Gordon Ramsay, Rick Bayless, Michael Mina, Angela Hartnett, and a host of other acclaimed chefs. |