Chefs & Co-Owners, Food Road

Almost thirty years ago, chefs Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier pioneered sustainable dining with the opening of Arrows in Ogunquit, Maine.  The Chefs champion old world practices that include growing and foraging their own crops, curing their own meats, and making their own cheese.  In 2010, the prestigious James Beard Foundation named the duo as "Best Chefs in the Northeast."  Their inimitable style of seasonal cooking and farm fresh recipes have been featured in the nation’s leading magazines including Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Time, Travel + Leisure and Vanity Fair and they have made frequent appearances on local and national television programs including the CBS Early Show and NBC’s TODAY show.  

When Clark & Mark founded Arrows in 1988, they were inspired by the European model of a simple country restaurant serving extraordinary food.  Set in a restored eighteenth century Maine farmhouse, Arrows became known for its outstanding cuisine, flawless service, beautiful setting and award-winning wine list.  There, Clark and Mark cultivated over two acres of gardens, including an abundant greenhouse, which supplied the restaurant with its hand picked produce and herbs. The restaurant garnered national and international accolades, chosen as "One of America's 10 Most Romantic Restaurants" by Bon Appétit and “One of America’s Top 50 Restaurants” by Gourmet.  

In 2005, Clark and Mark opened MC Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine, a sleek and more casual restaurant dedicated to classic New England fare with stunning ocean views.  In 2007 Clark and Mark partnered with Marriott to create Summer Winter.  With its working greenhouses supplying the restaurant, it was groundbreaking, as a true “farm to table” restaurant in Boston.  

The inspiration for the chefs’ culinary style traces back to California, where Clark and Mark met while working with acclaimed chef Jeremiah Tower at Stars Restaurant in San Francisco.  Mark, an Ohio native, began his culinary career in Boston to study under the tutelage of Jean Wallach followed by a stint at the Whistling Oyster in Ogunquit, Maine.  It was during this period that he began to hone his basic skills as a chef followed by his move to San Francisco.

Clark’s passion for fresh, seasonal food began as a child in Carmel, California, where local fruits and vegetables were abundant year-round.  After studying Chinese language in Taiwan and Beijing, Clark joined Stars Restaurant as chef tournant.  It was here that Clark developed his acumen with Asian ingredients and flavor combinations, a sensibility that he continues to incorporate into their restaurants’ menus.

Together, the culinary team penned “The Arrows Cookbook: Cooking and Gardening from Maine’s Most Beautiful Farmhouse Restaurant,” a collection of the restaurant’s most celebrated and accessible recipes with useful cooking and gardening tips.  In spring 2011, the Maine-based duo released their second cookbook, “Maine Classics,” 150 delicious recipes from Down East. In 2012, the chefs competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters Season 4.  2015 pitted Clark against Bobby Flay in the hit series, “Beat Bobby Flay”, followed by Mark’s 2016 appearance in Season 9.  

In 2014, the chefs continued the MC legacy by opening M.C. Spiedo Ristorante & Bar inside the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, an Italian rotisserie inspired by their love of the Italian Renaissance, discovered during their personal travels.  The menu reflects their passion for the old world flavors from Florence, Bologna and Venice, as well as their focus on farm-fresh ingredients and contemporary cooking techniques.  

In 2022, Clark and Mark launched a new venture, Food Road Clark and Mark!  This food and travel adventure platform is designed to be a great resource for all that enjoy upscale travel and the joys of eating and cooking.  Included in the site is practical travel advice as well the Chefs’ finds, cookbooks, interviews with growers, food artisans and Chefs, as well as step by step recipes.

For more information about Food Road, please contact
Clark & Mark at contact@foodroadclarkmark.com