David Mark

Hi, my name is David and I was born in New York City and grew up in Northern New Jersey but now live in Tampa, Florida. I originally learned masonry work in high school and worked as a mason for several years before deciding to attend culinary school at The Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan. I then worked in fine dining restaurants in New York and Tampa for over a decade before switching to catering for a few years. During the pandemic, I went back to school to get a certificate in entrepreneurship and left my job to become a personal chef. Eventually I realized my interest in cooking professionally was waning and I decided to begin working with masonry again as well as return to school to study architecture and construction management. Through this process my childhood interest in art was reignited and I realized that at some point the creative outlet I was seeking in cooking was available in many other mediums and I had been selling myself short by depending on my career to fulfill that need. I also came to terms with who I am, I was diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar 2 disorder and suffered through a depression which lasted an entire year. I emerged from this experience with a profound spiritual awakening which allowed me to see the beauty in the world and gave me an overwhelming longing to contribute to it in any way I can. I don't have any set path but I am here to enjoy the journey.