at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, A Four Seasons Hotel
160 E Pearson Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 573-5160
MARK PAYNE, EXECUTIVE CHEF
Chicago, IL –– Executive Chef Mark Payne has a lot on his plate these days. He leads the culinary team at the 435-room The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Chicago and is Executive Chef of the Hotel’s new eatery – deca RESTAURANT + BAR. “The saying goes, if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Well, when things heat up, there’s no place I would rather be,” Payne says. “At deca, we are offering creative, brasserie-inspired cuisine in an approachable setting. This is a place where people can experience good, authentic food and excellent service in a stylish, yet comfortable atmosphere.”
Born in England, Payne became interested in cooking as a teenager after watching his older cousin in the kitchen. He began cooking weekly meals for his family and with his parents’ encouragement, he followed his culinary interest to Catering College outside London. Payne, a 14-year veteran of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, has been the Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago for 5 years, and now heads its new restaurant, deca RESTAURANT + BAR. Prior to joining the team at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, Payne worked in the kitchens of Four Seasons Hotels in Nevis, West Indies; Las Vegas; and The Pierre in New York City.
Trained in the classic French discipline, Payne’s formal training included positions at several highly renowned Michelin Star restaurants including time spent with Francis Coulson at Sharrow Bay and Nico Ladenis at Chez Nico in London. When Payne is not in the kitchen, he can often be found shopping the fresh produce of Chicago’s Green City Market and riding his Harley Davidson throughout Chicago – both a true escape from the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen.
Team deca at Baconfest Chicago 2012:
Gunthorp Farm glazed pork belly, creamy Anson Mills polenta, fava beans
