With more than 15 years of experience in the kitchen, Marcus was born into the business as a third-generation chef who inherited a joy for cooking from his mother Annette, who operates a catering company in Atlanta. Determined to turn his passion into a career, Marcus completed studies at the American Culinary Federation Apprenticeship Program and earned several chef certifications. As he developed his culinary career, Marcus became executive chef at Hennens in Chattanooga, Tenn., in 2011. In addition, Marcus has been included in “Best Chefs America,” a guide to top talent across the country. Upon returning to Georgia, Marcus joined the team at Buckhead’s Italian dining gem, Portofino, as executive chef in May 2014. Marcus strives to use local ingredients in the kitchen, accentuating natural flavors to highlight the simplicity of fresh fare in his recipes. Committed to customer service, Marcus takes pride in establishing relationships with guests to ensure they receive an ideal dining experience each time they walk into the restaurant. Prior to Portofino, Marcus spent time working at Atlanta local fine dining establishments including Chops, JCT Kitchen, Woodfire Grill, and Cibo e Beve.