As Executive Chef of CanoeHouse at Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, Chef Mark takes the helm of one of the most iconic restaurants in the state, working tirelessly to honor the restaurant’s reputation as a premier restaurant in Hawai‘i while imbuing the menu with his international palate and talent for artistic plating.

Where were you born and raised?
I was born in the Philippines and migrated to Hawai‘i when I was sixteen. I already graduated high school in the Philippines but had to go back to high school when we moved to Hawai‘i so I could get a U.S. diploma. While attending Ka‘ū High School, I participated in their high school culinary arts program and, after graduation, I attended the Culinary Arts program at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.

Growing up, what role did cooking play in your family?
Everyone in my family loves to cook! We mostly cooked Filipino food and would even slaughter our own goats, pigs and cows for celebrations. At home, my mom did most of the cooking but my dad cooked too. By learning and cooking with my family I realized my passion for cooking and how much I wanted to become a chef.

What were some of your first jobs in the culinary industry?
After I got accepted to the Culinary Arts Program, I applied for a position in the kitchens of the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. I was a part-time prep cook and also worked on the buffet line as a prime rib carver. After graduation, I worked on the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America and was exposed to many different cooking techniques and flavors.

How did your path lead to CanoeHouse?
It started during the pandemic when I was working in Las Vegas. I had been working there for almost six years at the Waldorf Astoria and the Mandarin Oriental. I realized I wanted to be closer to my family and return home. There was a Food & Beverage Director position at Mauna Lani and I applied for that. The next day, the Executive Chef of the CanoeHouse called me up and talked to me about becoming his Sous Chef. It took about two months but I was able to return home and take on the Sous Chef role at CanoeHouse. Eventually, I became the Chef de Cuisine at HāLani, also at Mauna Lani. During that time, the former Executive Chef of CanoeHouse moved on and I was offered the position.

What makes CanoeHouse stand out from other restaurants?
First off, it would be the people: our staff, our ‘ohana (family). My cooks work hard from opening to closing and I think it shows in what we deliver to our guests. Our servers have an attention to detail and their level of service makes dining at CanoeHouse unique. I would also say our ambiance is unbeatable.

How do you get inspiration to create a new menu item?
I pull a lot from my previous experiences. On the cruise line, I was exposed to so many types of cooking—from Japanese to Chinese to Brazilian. When I create a new recipe, I usually look at the main ingredient and then think about different cooking techniques or flavors that pair well with the ingredient.

What are some of your favorite local ingredients to work with?
I love working with Blue Ocean Mariculture’s Hawaiian Kanpachi—this is one of our signature dishes at CanoeHouse and it is served broiled. I also love sourcing ingredients from Waimea like the fresh goat cheese. I love working with and supporting our local farmers!

What are some ingredients that you will always have in your home kitchen?
Shoyu (soy sauce)! I always have a lot of spices and sauces like vinegar, fish sauce, shrimp paste and curry sauce. I make my own spice rubs that I use for grilling and I always make sure to have proteins like shrimp, pork and beef ready to cook.

What would you do on your perfect day off?
Well, my perfect day off would actually start the night before! I would marinate a ton of meat and the next day, I would spend the whole day with my family barbequing at the beach. We would wake up early, load up the truck with the grill, and spend the day together relaxing and catching up.

What are some professional goals that you have for 2024?
One of my goals is to host a Chef’s Table where I butcher ingredients with the guests. Then, I would cook and present the entire meal, even describing the wine pairings. I also want to host wine dinners where I can create brand-new menus for the guests. And I am looking forward to our Culinary Classics event. It’s a three-day event held here at the Mauna Lani over Labor Day weekend. The event brings together local chefs with celebrity chefs from the mainland and we celebrate food and the culinary arts in Hawai‘i.

For Chef Mark, the future looks bright as he continues to breathe new vibrancy into the menu of CanoeHouse while maintaining the traditions that the restaurant was built upon.