: About Me

Marcus Flakes is a native Texan and claims Southern Louisiana as well as Tex-Mex regions as his best inspirations of becoming a seasoned Chef. He grew up in Houston, Texas and was an athlete in high school. At the age of 10, he had a cooking passion!  He loved bringing his mother breakfast while she was still in bed which made her proud of the son she had raised. His family did not recognize his culinary potentials as they were hidden beneath other talents such as writing and art.

In 1992, Marcus enlisted in the U.S. Navy and traveled across the world.  He cooked meals as a Culinary Specialist aboard a vessel of 400 sailors where he was able to interlock his artistic talent with the ever changing trends within the food industry. He placed an emphasis on customer service, presentation, and great tasting food.

Marcus refers to culinary arts as food architecture a décor of love and appeal. He uses the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" as a means to provide extraordinary service to his patrons.

In 1995, Marcus started as a Subway Restaurant Manager at the age of 21, where he learned the importance of team building and morale. Working his way up the chain in multi-management as a Director of Employee Training impelled him to the border of success. Later, he proclaimed his profession as a food service expert, achieving success through ethics, and functioning as a leader as opposed to a manager in-charge. Marcus occupied other positions as General Manager for Denny’s, Food Service Director for a Senior Living Community, and First Cook while deployed with the Navy in Europe in support of Iraq Operation Enduring Freedom.

After 17 years of restaurant management and institutionalized cooking, Marcus is still steadfast in becoming a rising star chef within the military and all culinary civilian sectors. He is currently a candidate for the new National Guard Culinary Arts Team.

Flakes returned to school to finish his quest to cook, write and enhance his chances at entrepreneurship. He earned a Hotel and Restaurant Management Diploma from Penn Foster College and is currently a student at the Arts Institute of California-Sacramento for a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts Management and minor in Food Journalism. Marcus continues to use his knowledge, skills, and abilities as the California National Guard’s State Food Program Specialist.

Recently, Marcus was voted as the crowds favorite at the Art Institute of California’s Open House Iron Chef Competition and competed in the Foster Farms Chicken Cooking Contest for a West Coast Region semifinalist. Marcus loves to cook with ingredients that reflect Cajun, Southwest, Mexican and Southern cuisines. He says, "Combining special ingredients that bring foods to life with the chance to explore different cultures makes it worth my time to give my very best".

My passion is ...

cooking and writing.

I know too much about ...

food service. ;)

My parents always told me ...

make a plan toward your goals and visualize yourself being successful.

My childhood ambition ...

has always been cooking and writing poetry.

My favorite memory ...

is spending quality time with my mother.

Why I write ...

it's the one way to express myself exclusively.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

is culinary trends, Food Network, my choice in DVD's, R&B, and Smooth Jazz

My first job ...

was Burger King; then there was SUBWAY.

My best moment ...

is everyday, because it's another chance to improve my life.

My inspiration ...

is my grandmother's cooking and my mothers' writing. Combined is my passion to be a Food Writer.

Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Loving you

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Loving you, I love you like a diamond in the sky, I love you eveere when you're shy, Loving you can't be that hard to do, To see your face in existence, Makes me understand my persistence, Persistence of love is my wealth, You are the pump in my heart that fulfill my health, I love you, How long will my heart yearn for your everlasting smile, I hope forever, and not just for a little while, You pass my side and smell your scent, I melt inside because I know we are meant, Everlasting love is me and you, The fun and laughter is one piece of what makes us true, I love you.

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Writing:

• Marketplace Approved Writer
• Helium Charter Member