Marcus is truly an international chef: he was born in Ethiopia, raised by adoptive parents in Sweden, and his restaurant Riingo in New York City is Japanese/American fusion. The other, Aquavit, is world renowned and harkens back to his Swedish roots, offering unique interpretations of Scandinavian cuisine. Marcus has received more accolades before the age of 40 than most chefs do in a lifetime. He's also a painter, writer and humanitarian, supporting inner-city high school students in their efforts to succeed in the food industry. And as a spokesman for UNICEF, he leads the fight against tuberculosis which killed his mother in his birth country of Ethiopia.