Chris Mare

Chris Mare

Before joining One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro, Chef Chris Mare helmed the kitchen at One&Only Cape Town in South Africa, putting the resort on the map as a champion of locally sourced cuisine. Chef Mare is redefining the culinary offering at One&Only Portonovi with a similar commitment to showcasing the very best in local ingredients. “One&Only Portonovi offers an exceptional dining experience, celebrating quality produce sourced from the surrounding sea and mountains. Our aim is to reflect the flavours and culture of Montenegro and to focus on beautifully executed, seasonal dishes”, says Chef Mare.

Chef Mare has been working his way up the culinary ranks since the age of 15. Having grown up in the small fishing town of Saldanha Bay in the Cape’s West Coast region, Chris began his journey in the industry earning extra pocket money as a waiter at a local restaurant. Post high school, Mare enrolled fulltime into the Protea Hotel’s Service Chef course. He further went on to complete his exams at the Granger Bay Hotel School.

While an early start in hospitality influenced Mare’s journey into cooking, his love for food began as a family affair. “We always cooked together, trying new recipes… whether it was successful or failed horribly it was always exciting and fun to do as a family”, recalls Mare. This is an ideal Chris is proud to have continued well into his professional career, as he continues to liken his team dynamic to that of a “family” working together to wow guests. His food philosophy is simply “a person cannot think well, love well or sleep well if they have not dined well”.

During his noteworthy career, Mare has worked in some of South Africa’s top hospitality establishments. Having joined One&Only Cape Town as Chef de Cuisine in 2016, Mare’s rapid journey through the ranks of the One&Only culinary team to Executive Sous Chef in 2017 and then Resort Executive Chef in 2018.  Travelling to a new continent to his current position of Resort Executive Chef at One&Only Portonovi, Montenegro, Chef Mare continues to demonstrate his sincere curiosity, passion and commitment to his craft.

With an immensely positive approach to teamwork, Mare has led his kitchens at numerous restaurants to award-winning status. In his current role as Resort Executive Chef, Chris showcases his vast experience, skill set and talent for creating refined and flavoursome dishes across the resort’s dining outlets.

For more information or to make a reservation, please visit: oneandonlyresorts.com/portonovi