Culinary Wellness Educator & Speaker
Introduction
What I do
Meet the Chef
Hello, I'm Mark
I started cooking professionally at 16. Over the decades, I’ve worked across kitchens and culinary education, developing recipes, leading teams, and teaching the craft at a high level. I’ve held roles including Corporate Executive Chef at Forever Oceans, Director of Culinary Nutrition at Dole Food Company (supporting campaigns tied to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars releases), and Dean of Culinary Arts Education at Johnson & Wales University.
My work around health also became deeply personal. Two of my three sons live with Type 1 diabetes, and my late wife, Alison, was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. I cared for Alison throughout her illness until she passed away in March 2015.
Those experiences changed the way I think about food and health. Food isn’t medicine for every illness and it isn’t a miracle cure. But eating well, staying active and taking care of ourselves can form part of a stronger foundation for living well.
Today, my focus is simple: creating food that delivers flavor, function, and repeatability. Whether I’m building a menu, developing recipes for a brand, teaching a corporate wellness program, or creating a private dining experience, the goal is the same: food that tastes great, supports real life, and helps people eat better more often.
My cooking philosophy remains Simple:
Services & Offerings
Chef Mark's Services
Recipe Development &
Menu Design
Culinary & Brand
Partnerships
Speaking &
Keynotes
Healthy aging, staying capable, food, reinvention, purpose and practical wellness.
Corporate Culinary Wellness Programs
Chef Mark Allison's
Recipes for life BLOG
Chef Mark Allison's
Digital books
Midlife Wellness & Beyond
Transformative lifestyle coaching for adults 45+, built to increase strength, vitality, and whole-body health.
Midlife Wellness & Beyond
Stay Strong. Stay Healthy. Stay Capable.
After more than 46 years working across culinary arts, nutrition, education and public health, Mark created MW&B to cut through the noise surrounding modern wellness and focus on what actually matters in everyday life.
That means eating real food most of the time, maintaining muscle and strength, moving every day, prioritizing sleep and recovery, managing stress, supporting digestive health, staying connected to other people and having purpose in your life.
No miracle diets. No complicated systems. No promises to turn back the clock.
The goal is much simpler:
To help you remain stronger, healthier and more capable for the years ahead.
Whether you are rebuilding your health, trying to maintain your strength, improving the way you eat or simply thinking more seriously about how you want to live the second half of your life, MW&B provides practical education and resources you can actually use.
As Mark puts it:
“I’m not trying to stay young. I’m trying to stay capable.”
Start Here:
- Download the Free Midlife Wellness Guide
- Join the Free Monthly Newsletter
- Explore Midlife Wellness & Beyond
What's the Dill?
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A Taste of Life
Chefs Against Cancer
Chef Mark Allison was inspired to create Chefs Against Cancer in memory of his wife, Alison, who passed away from cancer in 2015. His vision for the event is to honor her legacy and make a difference in the lives of others affected by cancer.
Event Details:
Prepared by leading local chefs in Charlotte, NC
Proceeds directly support education, research, funding, and support services for cancer patients and survivors in Charlotte.
At Chefs Against Cancer, our mission is to unite the community through culinary excellence and compassionate giving to support the fight against cancer. By partnering with local chefs, businesses, and non-profits, we aim to provide resources, education, and hope for cancer patients, survivors, and their families. Together, we honor those affected by cancer and inspire action to create a future free from its impact.
CAC Values:
Supporting individuals and families affected by cancer with empathy and care.
Building strong partnerships with local organizations, chefs, and volunteers to make a collective impact.
Ensuring transparency and accountability in fundraising efforts.
Inspiring hope and action through education and support for cancer research and survivorship programs.
Honoring the memory of loved ones and celebrating the strength of those impacted by cancer.
The purpose of Chefs Against Cancer is to bring the community together to raise awareness, provide support, and generate funding for cancer education, research, and patient services. Through unique culinary experiences and philanthropic efforts, CAC aims to make a meaningful difference in the lives of cancer patients, survivors, and their families.
Event Details:
Prepared by leading local chefs in Charlotte, NC
Proceeds directly support education, research, funding, and support services for cancer patients and survivors in Charlotte.
Work With Chef Mark
Looking for a keynote speaker, corporate wellness program, culinary workshop or brand collaboration?
Get in touch to discuss your audience, organization or upcoming event.