Mark Best is the Australian chef widely recognised as one of the most-influential figures in modern Sydney fine-dining and the founder of the acclaimed Sydney restaurant Marque, which operated for over two decades and was one of the defining Sydney fine-dining restaurants of the 2000s and 2010s. Best famously came to cooking after an earlier career as an electrician in Western Australia, training in his late twenties and going on to stage at leading European restaurants before opening Marque in Sydney. Marque earned sustained three-Chef-Hat recognition and an international reputation for technically precise, ingredient-led modern Australian cooking.
Best’s 2025-2026 work centres on Infinity by Mark Best, the revolving fine-dining restaurant located 81 floors above the central business district in the Sydney Tower. Best is the Executive Chef and has earned One Hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2026 Awards for the venture. Infinity by Mark Best offers a hyper-local and seasonal Australian menu rather than a replication of the iconic Marque, heavily featuring regional produce and a completely Australian beverage list. Best works in tandem with Head Chef Jen Kwok Lee, who won the 2026 Young Chef of the Year, and Sommelier Polly Mackarel.
TL;DR
- Australian chef and founder of the acclaimed Sydney restaurant Marque
- Came to cooking after an earlier career as an electrician in Western Australia
- Marque operated over two decades; sustained three-Chef-Hat recognition
- Now Executive Chef at Infinity by Mark Best, 81 floors up in the Sydney Tower
- Infinity earned One Hat in the SMH Good Food Guide 2026 Awards
- 2025-2026: hyper-local seasonal Australian menu with completely Australian beverage list
Mark Best key facts
| Nationality | Australian |
| Earlier career | Electrician in Western Australia before training as a chef |
| Defining restaurant | Marque, Sydney (over two decades; sustained three Chef Hats) |
| Current venture | Infinity by Mark Best, Sydney Tower (81 floors up, revolving) |
| Current role | Executive Chef, Infinity by Mark Best |
| Major distinction | Marque three Chef Hats; Infinity One Hat SMH Good Food Guide 2026 |
| Team | Head Chef Jen Kwok Lee (2026 Young Chef of the Year); Sommelier Polly Mackarel |
Early life and training of Mark Best
Mark Best is an Australian chef who came to professional cooking through an unusual path. He worked first as an electrician in Western Australia before deciding to retrain as a chef in his late twenties. The mid-career change of direction has become one of the defining biographical facts of his profile and informs the technically rigorous, problem-solving approach he brought to fine-dining cooking.
After retraining, Best staged at leading international restaurants, including high-profile European kitchens, gaining classical French and modern European technique. The European staging period built the technical foundation that he later applied to ingredient-led modern Australian cooking, and prepared him for opening his own restaurant in Sydney.
Best opened Marque in Sydney, where the restaurant operated for over two decades and earned sustained three-Chef-Hat recognition. Marque became one of the defining Sydney fine-dining restaurants of the 2000s and 2010s and built an international reputation for technically precise, ingredient-led cooking, establishing Best as one of the most-influential Australian chefs of his generation.
Mark Best career timeline
- Early career: Works as an electrician in Western Australia
- Late twenties: Retrains as a chef
- 1990s: Stages at leading European restaurants gaining classical technique
- 1999: Opens Marque in Sydney
- 2000s: Marque earns sustained three-Chef-Hat recognition
- 2000s-2010s: Marque a defining Sydney fine-dining restaurant
- 2010s: International reputation for technically precise modern Australian cooking
- 2016: Closes Marque after over two decades
- 2017-2020s: Consulting, events and guest-chef work across Australia and Asia
- 2020s: Develops Infinity by Mark Best at the Sydney Tower
- 2025: Infinity by Mark Best opens 81 floors up in the Sydney Tower
- 2026: One Hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2026 Awards
- 2026: Head Chef Jen Kwok Lee wins 2026 Young Chef of the Year
- 2025-2026: Hyper-local seasonal Australian menu and completely Australian beverage list
Mark Best signature style: technically precise ingredient-led modern Australian cooking
Best’s central argument, developed across more than two decades from 1999 onwards, is that technically precise, ingredient-led cooking can define a distinctive modern Australian fine-dining identity. The Marque tasting menu became one of the defining Sydney fine-dining experiences of the 2000s and 2010s, anchored in technical rigour and signature dishes that built an international reputation.
The second defining element is the hyper-local seasonal approach at Infinity by Mark Best. Rather than replicating the iconic Marque, Infinity offers a hyper-local and seasonal Australian menu heavily featuring regional produce and a completely Australian beverage list, set in a revolving restaurant 81 floors above the Sydney central business district.
The third pillar is the mentorship and team-building role. Best works in tandem with Head Chef Jen Kwok Lee, the 2026 Young Chef of the Year, and Sommelier Polly Mackarel. Within the Australian fine-dining cohort Best sits alongside peers including Tetsuya Wakuda, Neil Perry and Peter Doyle as one of the defining figures in modern Sydney fine-dining.
Notable Mark Best work
Several Best projects have become reference points in modern Australian gastronomy. Marque in Sydney (1999-2016) is his career-defining over-two-decade three-Chef-Hat operation and one of the defining Sydney fine-dining restaurants of the 2000s and 2010s. Infinity by Mark Best at the Sydney Tower (opened 2025) is his current venture and earned One Hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2026 Awards. His signature technically precise dishes at Marque built an international reputation and influenced a generation of Australian chefs. His electrician-to-chef career change is one of the most-cited biographical stories in modern Australian fine-dining.
Mark Best awards and recognition
- 1999: Opens Marque in Sydney
- 2000s: Marque earns sustained three-Chef-Hat recognition
- 2000s-2010s: Marque a defining Sydney fine-dining restaurant
- 2010s: International reputation for technically precise modern Australian cooking
- 2016: Closes Marque after over two decades
- 2025: Infinity by Mark Best opens at the Sydney Tower
- 2026: One Hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2026 Awards
- 2026: Head Chef Jen Kwok Lee wins 2026 Young Chef of the Year
Mark Best impact on modern Sydney fine-dining
Best’s most concrete contribution is the founding of Marque in 1999 and its rise to become one of the defining Sydney fine-dining restaurants of the 2000s and 2010s, with sustained three-Chef-Hat recognition and an international reputation for technical precision. Marque influenced a generation of Australian chefs and established Best as one of the most-influential figures of his generation.
The second contribution is the electrician-to-chef career change, one of the most-cited biographical stories in modern Australian fine-dining, which demonstrated that a mid-career change of direction could lead to the highest level of culinary achievement and inspired many later-career entrants into professional cooking.
The third contribution is the current Infinity by Mark Best venture and its hyper-local seasonal Australian approach. Within the Australian fine-dining cohort Best sits alongside peers including Tetsuya Wakuda and Peter Doyle as one of the defining figures in modern Sydney fine-dining.
Mark Best FAQ
What is Marque?
Marque is the acclaimed Sydney restaurant Best founded in 1999 and operated for over two decades until 2016. Marque earned sustained three-Chef-Hat recognition and an international reputation for technically precise, ingredient-led modern Australian cooking, and was one of the defining Sydney fine-dining restaurants of the 2000s and 2010s.
What is Infinity by Mark Best?
Infinity by Mark Best is the revolving fine-dining restaurant located 81 floors above the central business district in the Sydney Tower, where Best is the Executive Chef. It offers a hyper-local and seasonal Australian menu heavily featuring regional produce and a completely Australian beverage list, and earned One Hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2026 Awards.
Was Best really an electrician?
Yes. Best worked as an electrician in Western Australia before deciding to retrain as a chef in his late twenties. The mid-career change of direction is one of the most-cited biographical stories in modern Australian fine-dining and informs the technically rigorous approach he brought to cooking.
Who works with Best at Infinity?
Best works in tandem with Head Chef Jen Kwok Lee, who won the 2026 Young Chef of the Year, and Sommelier Polly Mackarel. The team delivers the hyper-local seasonal Australian menu and completely Australian beverage list at the revolving Sydney Tower restaurant.
Is Infinity a replica of Marque?
No. Infinity by Mark Best offers a hyper-local and seasonal Australian menu rather than a direct replication of the iconic Marque. The dishes heavily feature regional produce and the restaurant carries a completely Australian beverage list, a distinct concept from the technically precise Marque tasting menu.
What is next for Mark Best
Infinity by Mark Best continues through 2026 at the Sydney Tower with its One Hat Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2026 recognition, hyper-local seasonal Australian menu and completely Australian beverage list. His work continues to be documented through Australian food media. His public Instagram (@bestmarque) is the best source for current updates.
