Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000

Mark Shackleton

Canadian retired skateboarder turned chef. Went from a wheelchair with a broken femur to Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2024 finalist.

Currently 7

in their Group

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You decide who will appear in Taste of Home magazine, and win $25,000!

Voting for the TOP 10 ends Thursday the 25th of June at 7PM PDT

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What is your signature dish?

Homemade broths and stocks have become a passion of mine, particularly traditional pho. I find great satisfaction in the patience and investment required to draw deep flavour from bones, aromatics, and spices. The process fills my home with familiar aromas and a sense of comfort. Whether I'm feeling under the weather or simply need to recharge, a simmering stock pot gives me an excuse to slow down, put on a good record, and spend the day chasing the perfect bowl.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

I was a curious kid with more energy than good sense, usually on a skateboard or finding trouble. My grandmother quickly discovered the best place for me was beside her in the kitchen. Before long, I was peeling potatoes, scrubbing pans, and helping wherever I could. She brought me to United Church suppers, fundraisers, charity dinners, and BBQs where I learned that food brings communities together. Cooking with and for loved ones helped me understand not just other families but my own.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use $2000 to pay off my chef school debt and donate the rest to the children’s hospital.

James Beard Foundation

Vote for Mark Shackleton to be the next Favorite Chef while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote below, or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting the James Beard Foundation and their mission to lead chefs and the broader culinary industry toward a new standard of excellence.

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