Every chef knows the grind. The late nights. The constant hustle to perfect your craft while keeping the lights on. Chef Marcus Means of Sysco Atlanta not only lived it; he’s made it his mission to help others navigate it, drawing from years of hard-earned wisdom and unshakable heart.
His culinary story started long before the white coat. It began at home, hovering near the stove in his mother’s and aunts’ kitchens, soaking in the soul of scratch-made food. “You taste a little of this, add a little of that…that’s how I learned flavor,” he says. That early instinct would grow into something much bigger.
When Marcus talks about Southern cooking, it’s less about recipes and more about moments. “It makes me think of being outdoors or in the kitchen with family and friends, fellowshipping, with old stories being told and new memories being made,” he says. “There’s nothing like being outside with an open flame, a cast-iron pot of hot grease and fish frying, or a charcoal grill with meats perfectly seasoned and rubbed the night before.” That’s the kind of food that sticks with you—and it’s the kind of experience he brings to every kitchen he touches.
At 15, Chef Marcus took his first job in a dish tank at a local steakhouse. But it didn’t take long before he was slinging steaks on a Friday night line—thrown between “two guys the size of refrigerators” on a 20-foot grill when a cook called out. Sink or swim. Marcus swam. That rush, that challenge—it lit a fire that carried him from the line to culinary school to an elite post working under Olympic gold medalist Chef Jamie Keating.
Every day, you’d walk in and make a five-course meal from scratch,” he recalls of those formative years. “No menus, no budgets. Just see what’s in the cooler and create.” It taught him to think fast, flex his creativity, and build flavor from the ground up. That experience still shapes how he works with customers today.
For more than a decade, Chef Marcus has been a Culinary Consultant with Sysco Atlanta. His mindset is simple: be real, be present, and treat every consultation like someone’s livelihood depends on it—because it does. “This is how they eat. This is how they feed their family,” he says. “So I take it very seriously.”
He’s supported hundreds of operators over the years, from gas station kitchens and taquerias to high-end concepts. His versatility and respect for each chef’s unique story are what set him apart. Just ask Kelli Ferrell of Nana’s Chicken and Waffles, who came to Marcus with no restaurant experience and a simple ask: “Talk to me like I’m three.” Nine years later, she’s expanded to multiple locations and landed on Real Housewives of Atlanta—and still texts him on his birthday. That kind of loyalty doesn’t come from pushing product. It comes from showing up with respect, experience, and a mindset that says: I’ve got you.
What makes Chef Marcus such an asset isn’t just his 20+ years of culinary expertise or deep knowledge of sous vide, flavor layering, and scratch cooking; it’s that he meets chefs where they are. One day, he’s helping a white-tablecloth restaurant rework its prep flow. The next, he’s helping a neighborhood kitchen turn a TikTok trend into a sellable menu item. “You’ve got to stay sharp and know it all,” he says. And Chef Marcus does.
His approach to supplier relationships is refreshingly direct: “Be honest.” Forget the games. “Just tell me where you’re at and what you need. I’ll shoot you straight every time.” That transparency has earned him long-standing partnerships and serious trust in the field. To stay current, Chef Marcus turns to his team, his customers, and even his kids, who keep him up on trending recipes and viral food challenges. He knows the best ideas come from conversation, collaboration, and staying curious.
His advice to chefs heading into the busy season? “Give people something they’ll remember. But make sure it works for your kitchen, too.” That might mean leaning into your roots, swapping proteins, or giving a classic your own twist. Just keep it real. Keep it yours.
For Chef Marcus, success isn’t about perfection; it’s about connection. “It’s not about showing off,” he says. “It’s about helping people win. That’s what keeps me going.” Every chef’s story is different. But his mission is the same: to help fellow chefs and operators not just survive, but build something memorable.
“Just tell me where you’re at and what you need. I’ll shoot you straight every time.” – Chef Marcus
