Chef
Mike Clark

Chef Mike grew up in the oil fields of Southern California and Midland, Texas where he developed a taste for Southwestern, Southern, and Mexican cuisines. He has been in the professional kitchen for nearly 40 years.

Mike was convinced that he needed to learn something about cooking after being embarrassed by a failed dinner intended as a romantic interlude with his girlfriend in Denver, Colorado. He started cooking and bread baking for his friends. This eventually led to his first job at the Northern Hotel in Ft. Collins, Colorado. He quickly fell in love with the business with its high energy, sense of community and the conviviality it generates.

Realizing that he needed an education in the culinary arts, Mike studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Shortly after graduating, Chef Mike moved to Chicago where in time he became the founding Chef Partner for the Gibsons Group of restaurants; (Gibsons Steakhouse, Hugo’s Frog Bar, RL, etc…) Mike stayed with the Gibsons Group for 18 years. After opening the LUXBAR he decided to move to Seattle where where he worked in the seafood distribution industry. While in the Puget Sound area, Mike also taught culinary arts at Bates Technical College.

Through contacts in the seafood industry, and his friend, Chef John Hogan, Mike learned of the possibility of joining the team at Tavern at the Park. Things worked out in his favor. He returned to Chicago, "the land of golden opportunity". Chef Mike and the group at Tavern began working together in winter 2011.