Chef Mark Woodruff cooks with both soul, and memories of the flavors he grew up with. Growing up in Texas he creates boldly flavored, deeply satisfying dishes at his restaurant MADE in Sarasota, on Florida’s Gulf Coast. He also shares an exuberant, approachable cooking style and love for the front of house as well.

Starting in the restaurant industry in Texas with his family at the age of nine, Chef Mark was born to be in the “biz”. His family had numerous concepts including Italian, Southern, classic home cooking style, and Tex-Mex. Mark spent weekends, holidays and summers helping his family run the restaurants his whole life. After Graduating high school in Texas, he moved to Florida to pursue interest in the family business. Wanting to gain as much knowledge as possible Mark spent some time in the liquor business as a salesman as well. In 2005 Mark enrolled to The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York. Spending his weekends in New York City working for free at some high profile restaurants in Manhattan, Mark also spent his externship back in Sarasota working at the Ritz Carlton. Mark graduated in 2007 at the top of his class, and decided to come back to Florida and work with his family again. Mark always dreamed of owning his own restaurant putting his own “mark” on it. In this time Mark met long time friend Michael Ripatranzone, and this is where they put their heads together and come up with the concept of MADE. Mark left the family business in October of 2012 to pursue the dream of MADE. MADE opened it’s doors March 1st 2013 and has become a very popular Sarasota dining spot since.

Since opening, MADE has had numerous accolades including Best New Restaurant 2014 by all three major publications in Sarasota including, The Sarasota Herald Tribune, SRQ Magazine, and Sarasota Magazine. Mark was included in Sarasota’s best chef category 2014 Sarasota Magazine. MADE was also named Sarasota’s best fried chicken by Sarasota Magazine. Chef Mark has also had numerous appearances on ABC 7, Chef Judi’s dish, and The Suncoast View. 

When he’s not working, Mark is, coming up with the next best recipe for MADE, cooking at home, playing a little guitar, playing golf, and spending time with his girlfriend, Katelyn, as they are trying to build a life and family.