Having worked in the restaurant industry for 36 years, Chef Mark Dommen is well-known as the longtime leader of One Market Restaurant in San Francisco. After 32 years in business, One Market recently closed, and Dommen is now the executive chef at Hestan Napa inside the First Street Napa complex.
Dommen said what he loves most about what he does is “watching people enjoy the food I cook.”
“It’s a very demanding career and everyone thinks they are a critic, so to watch someone enjoy what you prepared for them means you’ve accomplished what you set out to do,” said Dommen.
1. What is Hestan Napa?
Hestan Napa offers a dining and retail experience for customers to be immersed in the world of Hestan. It gives our guests the opportunity to experience Hestan appliances, Hestan cookware and all the Hestan Vineyards wines in person for the first time. All of this with the addition of a restaurant for guests to enjoy a great meal cooked with Hestan cookware on Hestan appliances and paired with Hestan Wines.
2. What was your first job?
My first job was as a dishwasher in Santa Rosa.
3. What job would you like to try/not try?
Try: Skydiving.
Not try: Snake handler.
4. How did you get into this industry?
During that first job as a dishwasher, I was exposed to cooking and started to cook. I really enjoyed it and stayed with it after I graduated from high school. Immediately after high school I went to culinary school and after culinary school went on to earn my bachelor’s degree from college.
5. What is the biggest challenge the hospitality industry has faced?
There are many challenges our industry has faced and continues to face. The pandemic hit hospitality hard and it has taken a long time for the industry to rebound. Staffing shortages have also been and continue to be an issue. Hospitality is a people business and it takes great people to be successful.
6. Who do you most admire in the business world?
Cooking is about mentors and who have mentored you. I admire Hubert Keller, not only a great chef but a great mentor and a great businessman. He was extremely successful having several restaurants during his career. I was fortunate enough to work for Hubert out of culinary school and he had such a positive impact on my career.
NICK OTTO/REGISTER FILE PHOTO
7. What’s one thing Napa could do to help local businesses or the economy?
To help the hospitality industry, Napa could eat out more often. There are a lot of great restaurants that employ a lot of people. Supporting the industry not only supports the employers but the employees as well.
8. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about our industry it would be the ridiculous hours chefs are expected to work.
9. What’s your favorite charity or nonprofit?
My favorite charity is Breakthrough T1D. They advocate for research for Type 1 Diabetes. My youngest daughter had type 1 diabetes, so it’s personal.
10. What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
Something people might be surprised to know about me is that I love to grow things. I have a large garden in my backyard and try to grow as much produce and fruit as possible.
Info: Hestan Napa is located at 291 First St. in Napa, hestanculinary.com.
