Following in his grandmother’s footsteps, Houston’s Marcus Flakes’ amazing culinary dreams have become a reality
Andre Johnson 
A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men. (Proverbs 18:16 KJV)
AMERICA’S CHEF
LANCASTER, Texas — Stay tuned, world. And remember the name: Marcus Flakes.
Amongst the grandest reasons is that Flakes’ immeasurable gifts as a cook throughout the years have been nothing short of remarkable.
“I’ve been cooking since the age of 10,” Flakes told Making Headline News this week. “I used to watch my grandmother cook and we’d talk about cooking.”
And the rest, as they say, was history.
Thanks in large part to the constant guidance and wisdom of his grandmother, Flakes has been blessed mightily to walk in her massive footsteps, having established a well-respected professional culinary resume that’s shaping to garner more of a global impact.
A native of Houston, Flakes, 47, is the mastermind behind Marco’s Pepper Grill Food Truck, his awe-inspiring endeavor that is just days away from its much-anticipated grand opening on March 7 at 403 Eats Food Truck Park, located at 403 East Main Street in nearby Tomball, Texas.
MORE ON CHEF FLAKES: https://www.facebook.com/marcusaflakes/
The grand opening will take place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST and, according to Flakes, such an occasion is “very fitting” for the annual Mardi Gras season.
“So it will be a Mardi Gras theme,” said Flakes, referring to his food truck’s specialty dishes that will include jambalaya, Etouffee, and bread pudding, among other delectable foods.
A cooking repertoire that spans nearly four decades — 37 years, to put it more precisely — it seemed that Flakes was destined to become an entrepreneur from the outset.
“(My grandmother’s influence) later inspired me to be what she didn’t have a chance to become due to her age and era,” Flakes, a military veteran, explained. “My paternal grandfather was business owner and I’d spend a lot of time watching him run our family store, which is my family’s estate now. He taught me the value of dollar, saving and investing. I even learned about whole selling, retailing, and counting money backwards when technology wasn’t as advanced as it is today.”
Even during his stint in the military, Flakes was guilty of having never allowed his culinary skills to fall by the wayside. Even while serving his country, in fact, there he was, putting his immeasurable and unmatched gifts on display, all the while God strategically allowed his cooking mechanics to make room for him in the process.
“I spent majority of my life serving my country while doing what I loved most, which was cooking,” Flakes said. “I knew back then that it would be no problem to transition back into civilian life with my knowledge, skills, and abilities to cook, manage, and market. Somewhere along the way, I noticed that my military background and higher education was not accepted by my food industry.”
Still, Flakes had gone to great to lengths to diligently set himself apart from others in what undoubtedly is an ever-so-competitive, had executed the essential strategy to ensure that his long-awaited dream as a globally-acclaimed chef would become a reality.
Given the remarkably brilliant strides he’s made throughout the years, it’s safe to assume he’s well on his way to reaping global success in his selected industry.
Sustained success, to put it more precisely.
“This venture has indirectly exposed me to people from over the world,” Flakes said. “Serving in the military as a military chef was the foundation of my culinary journey, which led to the exploration of people, places, and products. As a travel insider, I began establishing relationships with people from around the country.”
Interestingly, Flakes acknowledged that Southern Oregon will always hold a place in his heart, considering it is the originally birthplace of Marco’s Pepper Grill.
“There has never been one place in particular my business has exposed me to besides where Marco’s Pepper Grill was founded and established,” Flakes said.
Besides having evolved as one of Houston’s finest chefs of this modern-day culinary era, Flakes has since adopted more of an entrepreneurship role in his profession, a development that has also given way to his rise as an author.
“I’ve written my book,” said Flakes, who authored the newly-produced written work entitled, ‘The Inspiring Chef: A Memoir.’ “I’ve come to realize that my reach is becoming global, while my food continues to influence palates of my guests locally.”
To his credit, Flakes certain boasts the credentials, which have greatly enabled him to function mightily in his element.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Management and Hospitality from the Art Institutes of California-Sacramento and a Master of Public Health from Argosy University.
Also, he earned a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Texas A&M University.
SAVE THE DATE
As for what he loves the most about the sustained success of his venture, Flakes said:
“I love serving my guests and watching their five senses become paralyzed by my creations. I call it my culinary crave concept, where I methodically concoct ingredients that later has a date with their five senses. I also enjoy owning my own business with the flexibility to spend time with my family. Ultimately, time and personal freedom has been something I’ve longed for and I consider myself blessed this far.”
So far, so good for a well-publicized culinary career of a true cooking pro, whose best and brightest days are well ahead of him.
So stay tuned, world. And remember the name: Marcus Flakes.
For more information about Houston-area Businessman/Author Marcus Flakes of Marco’s Pepper Grill Food Truck, to order his book or to schedule him for a public appearance or book signing, connect with him via social media at: https://www.facebook.com/marcusaflakes/.
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Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
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