Mark Peel (chef) facts for kids
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| Born | November 19, 1954 Los Angeles, California |
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| Died | June 20, 2021 (aged 66) Los Angeles, California |
| Education | B.S., Hotel and Restaurant Management, Cal Poly Pomona |
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Reine River
(m. 1979; div. 1982)Daphne Brogdon
(m. 2005) |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Previous restaurant(s)
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Award(s) won
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Mark Peel (November 19, 1954 – June 20, 2021) was a famous American chef. He also owned several restaurants in California. Mark Peel and his former wife, Nancy Silverton, owned a restaurant called Campanile. This restaurant won a special award from the James Beard Foundation in 2001. Chef Peel was known for his "California cuisine." He was also a leader in the "farm-to-table" movement. This means he used fresh, local ingredients directly from farms.
Contents
Chef Mark Peel's Career
Early Cooking Experiences
In 1975, Mark Peel started learning to cook. He worked as an apprentice for the famous chef Wolfgang Puck at a restaurant called Ma Maison. In 1978, Peel traveled to France. There, he gained more experience in famous French kitchens like La Tour d'Argent.
When Michael's restaurant opened in Santa Monica in 1979, Peel became a sous chef. A sous chef is the second-in-command in a kitchen. In 1980, he moved to Alice Waters' famous restaurant, Chez Panisse. He first made pastries there. Then, in 1981, he became the head chef (called chef de cuisine) at the first Spago restaurant.
Creating Campanile and La Brea Bakery
In 1989, Mark Peel started Campanile restaurant in Los Angeles. He co-founded it with Nancy Silverton, who was his wife at the time. Campanile became a very important restaurant. It helped shape the way people ate in Los Angeles during the 1990s. The restaurant used fresh, high-quality ingredients from local farmers' markets.
Mark Peel was the Executive Chef at Campanile for over 20 years. A food critic named Jonathan Gold once said that Peel was a master at grilling food. Campanile closed its doors in 2012.
To make sure they had the best bread for Campanile, Peel and Silverton also started La Brea Bakery. It opened five months before the restaurant. La Brea Bakery became a huge success. It was sold in 2001 and is now a company that sells bread all over the world. Peel also owned a cocktail lounge called Tar Pit and a deli called Point, which both closed in 2012.
Cookbooks and TV Appearances
Mark Peel wrote three cookbooks. Two of these books he wrote with his ex-wife, Nancy Silverton. His cookbook, New Classic Family Dinners, was chosen as one of the top cookbooks of 2009 by Amazon. It was also named one of the top 25 cookbooks by Food & Wine magazine. Even though Peel was known for Mediterranean food, this book shared his favorite traditional American recipes.
Peel also appeared on several TV cooking shows. He was a contestant twice on Top Chef Masters. He was also a judge twice on Top Chef in 2009 and 2010. You might have seen him on shows like Hell's Kitchen, Knife Fight, and Kitchen Nightmares. Sometimes, he would appear on channels like the Food Network to show how to prepare food.
Later Ventures and Influence
Mark Peel's last restaurant project was called Prawn Coastal. It was a casual seafood restaurant located inside the Grand Central Market in Los Angeles. Prawn Coastal started as Bomba in 2015 and changed its name in 2017.
The Los Angeles Times newspaper said that Campanile played a big role in shaping the food scene in Southern California. Many chefs who learned from Mark Peel went on to open their own successful restaurants. This shows how much he influenced other cooks.
Being a chef for many years is very demanding work. Mark Peel's long career in the kitchen brought him great fame. Campanile won the James Beard award for outstanding restaurant in the United States in 2001. His hard work as a chef also led to some physical challenges.
Helping the Community
Mark Peel was also known for helping his community. When he worked at Spago, he helped organize the first three Food & Wine Festival fundraisers. These events raised money for St. Vincent's Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to people in need. He continued to support this charity.
During a writers' strike in 2007-2008, Peel started a "Writer’s Soup Kitchen" at Campanile. Every Wednesday, he offered discounted meals to writers who were affected by the strike.
Peel also helped raise money for cooking scholarships. He supported schools in Los Angeles and even political campaigns. The Los Angeles Police Department recognized him for his service to the community.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Mark Peel and his restaurant, Campanile, received many awards and honors:
- "Los Angeles Culinary Master of the Year"
- In 2012, the Los Angeles City Council honored him for his contributions to the food scene and his charity work.
- 2005: Chef of the Year, California Restaurant Association
- 2004: International Star Diamond Award for Outstanding Hospitality
- 2001: The James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Award
- 1997: DiRoNA, Distinguished Restaurant of North America
- 1996: Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Award
- 1995: Southern California Restaurant Writers, Restaurateur of the Year & Restaurant of the Year
- 1990: Best New Chefs, Food & Wine Magazine
Personal Life
Mark Peel was born in Los Angeles, California, on November 19, 1954. He was married three times and had five children. From 1979 to 1982, he was married to artist Reine River. From 1984 to 2004, he was married to Nancy Silverton, and they had three children together. In 2005, Peel married comedian Daphne Brogdon. They had two children. They separated in 2018.
Mark Peel passed away in Los Angeles on June 20, 2021, at the age of 66. He died from cancer.
