Mark Estee, Northern Nevada’s celebrity chef and restaurateur with a restaurant portfolio including Liberty Food & Wine, The Union, and Cucina Lupo in Carson City, Overland Restaurant & Pub in Gardnerville, and chez louie, is adding a new title to his name, Food Network star.
Mark’s new show, Undercover Chef, follows him as he goes undercover in restaurants to reveal the truth behind a restaurant’s failure to thrive. The show premieres Thursday, July 2 (check local listings for times) with Mark heading to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.
As a chef and restaurateur, Estee’s story spans more than 25 years leading culinary teams across the nation. An ardent advocate for food entrepreneurs, he is recognized among his contemporaries as a proponent of the local food movement. Among Estee’s core values is a belief in empowering chefs, producers and communities by connecting people back to their food. He incorporates these philosophies into his everyday work and practices, advising chefs and restaurants in Northern Nevada and throughout the United States.
Massachusetts born and raised, Estee’s Greek-Italian heritage gave influence to his early life –– culminating in large batches of tomato spaghetti made by Estee for his high school football team the night before the first game of every season.
Following an education at Johnson and Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts, Estee embarked on his career in Boston, working for the Hyatt Corporation under mentor Eric Howson. As the executive chef at the Hyatt’s Lone Eagle Grill in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, he honed his culinary practices under the tutelage of early pioneers for the organic, locally-sourced ingredient movement.
In 2002, Estee began his work to bring life to the high desert and reconnect chefs and communities with local producers with the opening of his first endeavor, Moody’s, in Truckee, CA. He has since developed a diverse portfolio of restaurants, eateries and projects in the Northern Nevada area such as Campo, Campo Mammoth, Heritage in Whitney Peak Hotel, two Burger Me locations, Reno Provisions –– a restaurant, marketplace, wholesale and catering facility, The Union in Carson City, chez louie, The Overland Restaurant & Pub in Gardnerville, Cucina Lupo, also in Carson City, and Liberty Food & Wine Exchange. He is viewed as a leading culinary influence in Northern Nevada and beyond.
Estee crafts international dishes with the products of Northern Nevada farmers and ranchers. He spearheaded this movement during the economic downfall in the Northern Nevada region, Estee opened Campo in 2011, the first restaurant that successfully showcased local farmers and ranchers in every meal. His accomplishments include supporting and promoting local farmers to create a sustainable, cooperative model.
Key to Estee’s work is his commitment to mentoring the next generation of food entrepreneurs. As a chef with experience owning multiple award-winning establishments, he has experienced both success and failure in business and in management, and is keen to share these experiences –– and the love of cooking –– with generations of chefs and producers. He draws inspiration from his closest contemporaries in the kitchen and in business, and views his restaurant teams as family through which to cultivate growth and success. Now, Estee imparts his passions and experiences in the kitchen and in business onto his fans, to entertain and to inspire a new generation of chefs.