Tibor Markovič

Born in Slovakia in 1991, I was raised in a family where practically everyone was a great cook—parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Good food was everywhere. We harvested fresh fruit and vegetables across every season from our garden and raised chickens, pigs, and cows. Witnessing that complete lifecycle up close taught me early on to respect raw ingredients and understand where real flavour comes from.

In 2007, I moved to Ireland. For a decade, I flew as cabin crew, though anyone who worked a shift with me knew what I actually cared about. Even at 30,000 feet, I spent hours talking about food, culinary techniques, and my quiet ambition of working in professional kitchens.

When COVID grounded the world in 2020 and the airline went under, I stepped into a kitchen at Court Yard Hotel in Leixlip as a kitchen porter, scrubbing pots and observing every station. The head chef noticed my focus and gave me an opportunity on the line.

From there, my culinary education accelerated. I moved to Carton House in Maynooth, working my way through demanding kitchen brigades alongside talented mentors. That journey led me to The Morrison Room and Chef Adam Nevin. At first, the standard felt daunting, and there were days I wasn't sure I could survive the pace. But discipline, hard work, and accountability paid off. Adam challenged and shaped how I approach food, technique, and kitchen culture. Earning a Michelin star as part of that team remains one of the proudest moments of my life.

Today, I serve as Resident Chef at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Washington, D.C.