Mark Nargi

If you:
1. Love incredible + inspiring food
2. Need an amazing chef for small to large gatherings
3. Appreciate artistry and expert execution
Then:
1. Call/​email + book Mark ASAP.
Mark’s culinary prowess is demonstrated through the details, depth, and dedication to perfection. For example: We asked for paleo pasta — not an easy task — and Mark not only made the most delicious handmade paleo pasta dough out of cassava flour, but he topped the perfect pasta with shaved cured egg yolk that tasted just like cheese — genius and so outside the box. Mark’s warm and gregarious nature is felt through his cooking — every plate contains his love and passion for the art and for making his clients happy.
Why hire Mark for your event?
1. He will plot, plan, and execute the most exquisite culinary experiences.
2. Your guests will be wowed to the max — most events have boring or even bad food — Mark only makes insanely beautiful and delicious food — we talk about his creations for weeks on end.
3. Heart of gold — good guy.
4. OCD + perfectionist qualities really shine — all items are always on point.
5. He will work w your budget to create a perfect event.
6. Just look + drool over his Instagram pics @marknargi

Update: It’s been a few months so I thought I’d update Mark’s review
His cooking is just as amazing. He’s done themes now. Middle eastern, tapas from Spain (13 dishes in one night), vegan and vegetarian, as well as specialized Moroccan meals involving all kinds of meats and spices. The amount of research he puts in each preparation is nothing short of impressive. He tries flavours at his place before the dinner night. I have already referred him to friends and he didn’t disappoint. I am even guilty at throwing at him last minute guest or someone says they are vegetarian after they showed up already and I would be glad he planned for that in advance. So thankful. I recommend highly.

I have told Mark numerous times– and I’ll write it here, he is the answer to my prayers. He delivers high quality food that my husband and children love. No more throwing groceries that I meant to cook, but didn’t have time, in the garbage. I would rather give it to Mark knowing that I will get delicious food that will be ENJOYED by my family. His cooking is delicious, clean, and makes sense. He has a great personality, he is easy to work with, and knows a lot about food! He teaches me so much about what I’m eating, how to make it myself, and where to buy it. Instead of buying food that I know I most likely won’t make I get his help with cooking. My refrigerator stays clean, less money is wasted and I have great food to feed my family. His catering is fantastic, his weekly meals are a bargain, and his cooking lessons are super fun. You won’t find someone better in our area. One day a week, he helps my sister and I plan our weekly meals together at her house. We give him our ideas, he creates the menu, he does the shopping, he shows up and helps us cook most of the food that day. In 3 – 4 hours, our dinners are planned and created with little work left for the busy weeknight schedules we have.

Chef Mark is not only an amazing chef, he is very conscientious about the dietary concerns of his clients. Once he cooked a dinner for me and a couple of friends (one is a vegetarian, one a vegan and I’m a meateater). The way he accommodated my guests without having to make a separate meal, was truly clever and inspiring

I attended a free cooking class/​dinner courtesy of Chef Mark. He invited us into his home and gave us great cooking tips and simple techniques to create a delicious meal. He’s very creative, passionate and unpretentious. I really appreciated that he cooked healthy food for us. I’m looking forward to his pop-​up dinner next month. Thanks, Chef Mark!

Chef Mark is an amazingly talented chef who has worked at places like Michael Mina, and it shows! He is a real professional and can explain the chemistry behind why one should prepare foods in certain ways. His attention to detail means his seasoning is subtle and exact, and his service timing is impeccable. Mark especially enjoys working with out of the ordinary ingredients and methods, so pick Chef Mark if you are looking for a unique experience.

Hired Mark for a 12 person dinner for a bunch of rowdy middle easterners plus kids. He offered up a spectacular menu based on what we wanted, and it did not disappoint. Who ever thought simple chicken in the oven could be so delicious? Man, I want some right now. Hangar steak, killer mac n cheese, omg Brussels sprouts, incredible appetizers that converted people who would NEVER eat duck liver, bacon wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese, pot d chocolate with a homemade hazelnut Twix bar… I can go on and on. In fact, the food did go on and on… we had 14 items in total, and enough for the next day and beyond. Wish I could live like that every day. Or every other weekend wouldn’t be bad, either.

Mark is amazing.
I have had the pleasure of tasting his culinary masterpieces on 2 separate occasions.
Most recently we hired him for a dinner party of 10 guests, budget $ 100/​head. He had free reign of the menu and made dietary accommodations for a guest with a gluten allergy and another with a dairy allergy (how San Francisco!).
Menu was as follows:
–rosemary crostini, duck liver mousse, white bean purée, saint marie caprifeuille (goat cheese), caramelized onions
–lobster and heirloom potato salad, haricots verts and yellow wax beans, truffle aioli, mixed baby greens, balsamic vinaigrette
–crispy skin loup de mer, lemon-​red bell pepper vinaigrette, fig and olive tapenade, micro greens, marinated vegetables (fennel, snow peas, piquillo peppers, baby zucchini, squash blossoms, cherry tomatoes)
–sous vide pork loin, brown butter acorn squash purée, sauteed beet greens and shallots, huckleberry jus
–chicken mole negro, mexican rice, corn tortillas
–chocolate cremeaux, vanilla mascarpone, hazel praline «kit kats», sweet cherries, toasted pistachios
The food was absolutely incredible. In addition Mark is the PERFECT balance of friendly, professional, funny. His passion and excitement for what he does is infectious. He wants to involve his guests and take them on a culinary adventure. One could not ask for more when it comes to hiring a private chef.
I would highly recommend!!!

Chef Mark just absolutely nailed it. I hired him on short notice after the other chef I was working with bailed on me at the last minute. Mark picked up the pieces and got the job done in style. He kept prices down with simple and inexpensive ingredients. His food was flavorful and fresh. He was great to work with and fun to have around.
The event was a bachelor party «morning-​after» brunch at an Airbnb we were staying at. I gave also gave him a big shopping list of booze and ingredients to pick up for us so we could eat and drink ourselves through the rest of the day without leaving the pad. Mark came through right on time. He’s a sociable guy and everyone enjoyed hanging with him by the pool, too. He did a bang-​up job with Mexican breakfast, and left us with marinated steaks, green salad, potatoes, corn, guacamole and a bunch of other goods for us to grill and snack on for dinner. There was enough of everything for us to make a full breakfast the next day, too. I ended up passed out just before we were about to light up the grill, but fortunately Mark had the foresight to send me and another buddy an email with cooking instructions before he left,
«Alright so for dinner:
–potatoes on a tray or in a pan, 400 degree oven about 15 minutes. done
–corn just grill husk on or off. Toss with lime juice, mexican cheese and hot sauce for some zazz
–steak/​mushrooms/​tofu wipe off the marinade really well as grill. Tofu and mushrooms are par-​cooked so theyll be fast.
–salad mix up the lettuce and the veggies, toss with dressing. Easy peasy.»
My buddy took over for me and got the job done thanks to Mark’s foresight, and the day was saved. Thanks Mark!

Mark is an absolutely incredible chef and I would recommend him without hesitation. We recently hired him for a private party and he was truly amazing. He was totally open to ideas and suggestions regarding menu, but also had fabulous ideas about what would be appropriate/​appealing for our party. He designed a menu and cooked a 3+ course meal that included fresh, local and seasonal foods (see our menu below!). The presentation was stunning and the food was remarkable (truly some of the best dishes I’ve ever had). He prepped, cooked, served, and cleaned everything seamlessly. He is a charismatic, fun, engaging and incredibly talented chef– definitely book him if you can!
Our Menu:
First: seared diver scallops with romesco sauce and meyer lemon shaved fennel salad
Salad: mixed chicories with grilled stone-​fruit and first season citrus vinaigrette
Main: duo of beef — filet mignon with root vegetable purée and black truffle demi-​glacé /​sous vide wagyu tri-​tip with black garlic sauce, wilted swiss chard leaves and pickled stems
dessert: an assortment of seasonal petit fours