Come behind the scenes with SmartFem and learn how Mark Tarbell got started and his journey in creating Tarbell’s, a Phoenix favorite for nearly 20 years.
Tarbell’s Restaurant in the Biltmore area is approaching their 20 year anniversary in 2014. If you have eaten at Tarbell’s, you would understand why they’ve been successful when so many other restaurants have come and gone. The wait staff is knowledgeable and friendly, the service couldn’t be better, and there is something for everyone on the menu. Regardless of what you order on the menu, the food has been carefully sourced to ensure you are getting the highest quality product available. And honestly, it’s apparent in everything that is delivered to your table. Mark Tarbell, restaurant owner, is definitely doing things right and his success and numerous culinary awards are well deserved.
My personal experience was right on the money. It was obvious with the food I ordered that Mark and his team are sourcing the highest quality ingredients and serving thoughtful meals that his customers expect. The atmosphere in the restaurant is warm and full of families enjoying each other’s company. I have loved mussels all my life and by far, I was served the most succulent mussels I have ever had at Tarbell’s. I’ve never seen such a high quality product. Their burger was juicy and made of quality ground sirloin and salads were crisp and fresh with locally sourced ingredients. The desserts are rich and luscious and I’d recommend the cheesecake with caramel sauce infused with rosemary and the warm chocolate cake. Mark mentioned his favorite aspect of the business is his love to share his passion for cooking and food with others. You may not realize this, but he has published a number of his most popular recipes on his website for people to make and enjoy at home. This includes the luscious cheesecake!
SmartFem was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to meet one on one with Mark Tarbell and talk to him about his restaurant and what has made Tarbell’s so successful over the years. Meeting with Mark was like sitting down with an old friend. Mark attended culinary school in Paris and has been featured on national television shows such as “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show”. He also won the Iron Chef America competition while competing against celebrity chef Cat Cora. Mark has definitely achieved a level of success many chefs aspire to do but the most wonderful thing about Mark is how genuine and down to earth he is. He works closely with his staff and he stands at the front door smiling and greeting customers. When the dishwasher is out sick, Mark is willing to step in and wash the dishes and enjoys every minute of it. Tarbell’s is a neighborhood gem with a lot of regular customers and Mark can be seen and often reminds people how much he appreciates their business. No wonder he’s so successful. He has figured out success hinges on more than just serving great food.
So, what did Mark have to say when Janine Hill from SmartFem sat down and spoke with him? Let’s find out!
Janine: When did you know that you wanted to become a chef?
Mark: I was interested in cooking from a very young age. I loved to eat and was obsessed with food. I would get very interested in different textures of food and certain types of bread, especially the bread my mother would make. Over time, I became more interested and at age 14, I bought a book “Le Technique by Jacques Pepin”, which I still have today. From that book, I began to learn about technique and presentation. At age 15 or 16, I was helping my grandmother cook Thanksgiving dinner and my dad asked me if I thought about cooking as a career. While at the time, I found the suggestion to be embarrassing because times were different 30 years ago. A couple years later, after graduating high school, I was presented with some opportunities to spend a year in Europe as an apprentice and one of the opportunities was a culinary apprentice. I decided to take it and I realized during that apprenticeship that cooking was my passion and what I wanted to do. Following the apprenticeship, I moved to Paris where I attended culinary school and received instruction in wines.
Janine: What brought you to Phoenix?
Mark: Being in the culinary industry, you have a lot of opportunities for jobs. I had a very specific idea and I wanted my own restaurant. I began on the east coast as a pastry chef and baker and then decided I wanted to learn the front house. I contacted a friend, in San Francisco, and he placed me in a role leading the wine program at Deer Valley Ski Resort in Utah. After a season of working there, I was invited to come and work at the Boulders Resort in Carefree and I became the beverage manager. I was promoted to a director and stayed with them for eight years. I was offered an outstanding opportunity in Colorado but that was the turning point in my career and I decided to stay in Phoenix and follow my passion: to own a restaurant. Here we are nearly 20 years later.
Janine: When cooking at home, how do you encourage your family who wants chicken nuggets and corndogs to try new foods
Mark: You really have to just make it happen. For those of us who were fortunate enough to cook with our mother’s and grandmother’s, we must recognize and communicate that was truly a gift that you have to share. Cook something different even though it’s not what they ask for and let your family know, this is a tribute day! There is so much love and community around food and attachment to memories. I have that with my family and I still use family recipes today. I have served my grandmother’s apple pie here in Tarbell’s for years. People love it.
Janine: Are there certain foods you would never serve in Tarbell’s?
Mark: Most definitely. We are a friendly neighborhood restaurant that serves comfort food. We have a vision and there’s a specific culture here. For me, the best food is the simplest foods and that’s hard to do because people have a common understanding of those types of foods and specific expectations. I present what I consider to the best from my childhood and my memories and everything we do at Tarbell’s is all done by hand using the freshest ingredients. We have made a promise and a commitment to our customers and what we do is continue to innovate within that comfort food space. We always stay true to who we are at Tarbell’s.
Janine: What’s the next big innovation to expect on your menu at Tarbell’s?
Mark: I want to perfect chicken and matzo ball soup. I can make a wonderful chicken soup but I want to perfect the matzo ball and I have an idea in my head about what the best matzo ball was that I ever had. That’s going to be my next thing. These are types of dishes I find universally comforting, this is one of them, and am eager to share with my customers
Janine: Living in Phoenix, when you want to take your family out to a restaurant, other than your own, where do you go?
Mark: There are many great restaurants in Phoenix! Some of my favorites are Nobuo at Teeter House, any Bianco restaurant, Gallo Blanco, and Shinbay. I also enjoy Roka Akor, The Mission, and Binkley’s restaurants. Charleen at FnB is amazing and we like the Café at Vincent’s. BLT is really good as well and so is Rancho Pinot Grill. While we don’t go frequently, Kai is also very good. The valley has some really wonderful restaurants and chefs. I don’t want to forget anyone, this is a difficult question. There are a lot of places we love to go.
Janine: Are your friends and family intimidated to cook for you?
Mark: Sometimes and they are hesitant to invite me over. But you know, sometimes I like my hot dogs poached and sometimes I like them grilled. Either way, I’m fine. Just make sure there’s yellow mustard! I just appreciate and cherish the fact that someone opens up their home, does something they like to do and shares it with me.
Janine: After over 30 years of cooking and loving to dine out, I personally struggled to shed weight I gained over the years. Look at you, you’re very fit! How do you stay in a healthy state being a chef and loving food?
Mark: Well, I gained 60 pounds when I was an apprentice. You must retrain your bad habits. I could easily sit down, not thinking about what I’m doing, and eat and entire box of crackers. Those are very unhealthy habits. I am addicted to tasting flavors and textures so I do substitute eating healthier things like carrots. I’m also a stress eater and working in a restaurant really drives your adrenaline. I limit what I eat and I have a small taste but then I stop. I’ve learned to love vegetables and experiment with different ways prepare healthier foods. I can’t restrict myself from the things I love, but I do pay attention to my habits and the portions I consume. You really need to be in touch with yourself and weigh yourself morning and night so you do know when you are trending up. Limiting bread has also helped me.
Janine: I’ve watched your tutorials on YouTube and really enjoyed them. Any plans to do events in the restaurant where you do demonstrations or cooking instruction?
Mark: I think about this all the time! I do want to do something like this and we are targeting this fall to launch some special events. I love to teach and share. It’s what I love the most about what I do. So, yes, it’s going to happen and I’m excited about it. I do want to get more involved with my friends and the community so that’s definitely on the docket.
Mark: I do give advice to people and I enjoy doing that but I do so on an individual basis. Nine out of ten restaurants fail but I decided to take the risk and I’m always willing to talk to people and give advice. I speak to a lot of children who are very passionate and focused on what they want to do. Times are definitely changing but the advice is always on an individual basis. The glamour aspect of restaurant ownership is fleeting and it’s only about 10% of the business. You do a lot of heavy lifting and must develop a lot of practical knowledge to be successful. Being a good server, bar tender or dishwasher is not easy and requires you to develop skills. Every aspect of this business is challenging and not everyone understands that. While there are schools, they don’t prepare you for the reality of the business. Practical knowledge and experience is what makes a person truly successful in this industry. I have a great deal of respect and understanding for the complexity of the different roles in this business.
Janine: Do you have a special message to send to the SmartFem community?
Mark: Set aside your fears. Cook from your heart and do so with reckless abandonment. The mistakes you will make may be the greatest things you do. In the end, there will be a lot of sharing and community with your family and friends. No one really cares what you serve, they just care that you did it for them. There’s no need to go overboard either, keep it simple, and those are the meals that are the nicest and warmest get-togethers for your friends and family.
