Chef Mark Springfloat grew up in a home where food was more than just fuel for the body; it was anticipated, savored, and celebrated. It came as no surprise that his chosen path would be in professional kitchens. A Johnson & Wales University graduate, Chef Mark has cooked in restaurants in Washington, D.C., Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Charleston, South Carolina. He's spent the past 20-plus years in New Orleans at such fine restaurants as Vaqueros, Mr. B’s Bistro, Muriel’s at Jackson Square, and, most notably, as executive chef at Atchafalaya Restaurant. Chef Mark also led the culinary team at Pigeon Caterers, where menus ranged from fine dining to crawfish boils and the guest count was anywhere from five to 5,000. In 2017, Chef Mark joined the University of New Orleans faculty as chef/instructor for the Lester E. Kabacoff School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Administration, where he is developing the next generation of food service professionals. He teaches culinary arts, beverage, and wine. Chef Mark leads a group of students on a trip to Napa Valley, California, each summer for a week of wine education and tasting. He is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW).