Chef Vanessa Marquis; 2024 Latin Times Magazines Lideres Award

Chef Vanessa Marquis is a Certified Executive Chef and the Director of Culinary Innovation at FSC Franchise Co. (The Brass Tap, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, and Newk’s Eatery). 

After starting her career at a Private Country Club in Central California, her growth and experience grew in the galleys to include working on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, teaching, private classes, consulting, catering for up to 2500 guests, and collaborating with Chef Cliff Barsi on Inside the Box culinary arts program for aged-out foster children that is still flourishing at Metropolitan Ministries.

 Chef has served the last 10 years on the ACF Tampa Bay Chapter Board and currently holds the position as the Chapter President.  Chef Vanessa has served as the Chairman for the last 5 years on Worldchefs International Chefs Day Committee.  The committee’s goal is to reach as many children as possible globally, with the help of Chefs, in “Preparing Children for a Healthy Life.” 

Her efforts with her husband and fellow Chef, Rene Marquis, are ongoing to the community.  They cook for disabled veterans when they are not working, they do food drives for A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay-a home for 60 foster children, and give much of their time to the American Culinary Federation.

In early 2018, she was named to the ACF Culinary Team USA 2020-National Team and competed at the Culinary World Cup 2018 in Luxembourg, receiving a Silver medal in the Individual Category, and a Silver with the team to IKA Culinary Olympics 2020 in Stuttgart, Germany.