Mark Tarbell is the owner of Tarbell’s in Phoenix and co-owner of The Oven in Lakewood Colorado.  He studied in Paris, receiving wine training at the l'Academie du Vin and earning a Grande Diplome d'Etude Culinaire from La Varenne Ecole du Cuisine.  Mark was the youngest Food & Beverage Director of any Five Diamond property in the world when he went to work for The Boulders resort in Carefree at the age of 23.  Nominated for “Best Chef – Southwest” by the James Beard Foundation in 2001, he has been invited to cook at many special events around the country and for a stellar line-up of political, sports, and entertainment celebrities including the Dalai Lama, Muhammad Ali and Clint Eastwood. Mark and his restaurants have earned more than fifty awards, including Food & Wine “Best Restaurant”. 
Mark has been a judge for ten years for the Los Angeles. International Wine Competition, one of the oldest in the country.  He serves on many other advisory councils and boards, from the Arizona Department of Education to the Phoenix Theatre.  He has appeared on "Good Morning America", the "Today Show", Fox and Lifetime networks, and several Food Network programs.  In September 2007 Mark's "cuisine reigned supreme" in his battle with Iron Chef Cat Cora on "Iron Chef America".
Mark is the weekly wine columnist for the Arizona Republic newspaper, has been published in numerous local and national magazines, and collaborated with Lance Armstrong’s trainer Chris Carmichael on Chris Carmichael’s Fitness Cookbook.

Photograph © Paul Markow