Mark Crowell has had quite an amazing culinary journey with a lot of risks and a lot of reward. First he tells me how he found out about cooking, by staging at a restaurant in Europe, and brought that love back to the United States and worked hard enough to open his own restaurant. But opening up a restaurant was really hard, and he struggled. Eventually, he became an R+D Director at both Olive Garden and Starbucks.
Eventually, Mark threw it all away and started consulting. He again struggled at first but then he started to build. Now CuliNex is a thriving clean label consulting company in Washington. He has a dozen members on his team, people with whom I’ve met personally!
I think the best part of the episode is the stories Mark gives about the struggles of creating businesses. But there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. As long as you have some faith.
About Mark
Since Mark founded the company in 2005, CuliNex has become a nationally recognized consultancy focusing on product development for the organic and natural foods industry. Mark oversees an experienced team of Culinologists assisting food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and foodservice operators to achieve their growth goals by bringing new products to market.
Prior to CuliNex, Mark spent 7 years as Director of Food Product Development for Starbucks Coffee Company, where he led a team of food scientists and culinarians developing new food products for their Asian, European and North American markets.
Previously, Mark served as Director, Menu and Product Development for The Olive Garden, managed restaurant operations and food service concepts for Marriott Corporation, and owned and operated a Mediterranean restaurant in the Washington D.C. area.
Mark has a Masters in Business Administration from Columbia University, a Bachelor of Science in Hotel-Restaurant Management from Florida International University, and an A.O.S. in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America. During a career spanning more than 40 years, Mark has led operations and product development teams, taught product development at the university level, spoken at numerous industry conferences, written for various food industry publications, and developed a reputation for producing outstanding results for some of the best-known brands in the food industry.
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Show Notes
When someone asks what you do for a living, what do you tell them?: We’re in the clean label development business
What does CuliNex stand for: My wife made the name 15 years ago, it’s Culinary and Next
It wasn’t until 2011 that clean label started to buble up
Clean Label definitons: Length of the label, complex wording, nutrition label
Lo Han -Monkfruit for bakery application. A client came to us right after it was approved
Describe the Steps it took to get to where you are today?: Talked my way into a national hotel kitchen, practiced for a year, then worked 5 years as a line cook. Applied to the Culinary Institute of America Took 2 years to get accepted. At the time, it was a while before I heard back
Continental Cuisine: Not a specific type of cuisine
Florida International University: Hotel Management
I was in the restaurant business: manager, district manager, coffee shops, dinner houses, discotheques
Why did you decide to start your business
Other example: Kenny Lao
Made a Mediterranean restaurant. Huge restaurant
Didn’t go so well, got a job referral for Olive Garden
TUFTS Analysis
Darden Restaurants
Season 52
Howard Schultz running for president
Howard Schultz’ book
Pumpkin Scone
Pumpkin Spice Latte
NRA Show
Consulting was hard the 1st year, but I ended up building it until 6 years later, had a sustainable business but then I got bored and started to build up a company
Emily Munday was my first employee
The E-myth Revisited
What is some advice for things that are hard?: You gotta do what you are passionate about. It will see you through the tough times. You also gotta have faith. I’ve learned the word over the past 25 years. You’re up on the high wire, but you gotta trust your people
My Food Job Rocks: I get to work on amazing projects with amazing people
Phil Saneski
Food Trends and Technology: Upcycling movement, Cultured Meat
The biggest challenge the food industry has to face: diet misinformation
Favorite Kitchen Item: Stainless Steel Bowls
Advice for starting something scary: Entrepreneurs are weird. They are different. Are you different?
Research Chef Association; Why Donate?: Education is really important and community is really important
Where can we find you?: mark@culinex.biz
Excellent interview with Mark Crowell.