About Mark

Mark Olive, aka ‘The Black Olive’, has been a chef for over 25 years and has become a well known Australian celebrity with his charismatic style and creative approach to food, starring in his own television series ‘The Outback Cafe’ and a host of cooking, lifestyle and travel shows nationally and globally. Mark’s passion for fusing native food and culture with contemporary lifestyle cooking has led to a huge international profile specialising in gourmet Australian Indigenous cuisine. He’s been a celebrity judge alongside Dan Hong and Melissa Leong on the successful series on SBS ‘The Chefs’ Line’, he co-hosted two series as a celebrity chef on the series ‘On Country Kitchen’ with Derek Nannup and frequently joins Adam Liaw on ‘The Cook Up’ on SBS.

As a Bundjalung man, Mark’s family originated from the Northern Rivers region in NSW. Born in Wollongong he became interested in cooking as a child, watching his mother and aunts prepare meals. He trained under a European chef and has worked in a number of kitchens ranging from theatres, universities, health services, film sets and in a lá carte restaurants around the globe, before establishing his own successful business in 2008 which operated till 2014.

Along with his current business operations, Mark now cooks regularly for clients such as Tourism Australia (TA) at large corporate, public and cultural events around the country and the world, bringing his signature infusions of contemporary outback flavours to every occasion.

In 2010 Mark was chosen as one of the destinations on Oprah’s Victorian itinerary when she travelled to Australia with her Ultimate Audience. Her lucky guests were treated to a cultural experience of indigenous food, art and storytelling during Mark’s infamous cooking demonstration.

Mark has also hosted his own private Masterclass on series three of Master Chef, and has made regular appearances in the kitchen on The Circle (both airing on Network Ten). Mark has also been published in SBS’s new foodie Feast Magazine which launched later in 2011.

Due to his success, Mark has been selected to be a member of Tourism Australia’s ‘Friends of Australia’ program, which was “created to harness the power of bright and influential individuals who are making a name for themselves on the world stage, and who have a genuine affinity with Australia”.

In the past few years, Mark has travelled extensively as the guest chef to deliver signature events in gourmet Australian Indigenous cuisine overseas in major hotel chains such as the Anantara Dubai Palm Resort and Spa and international culinary festivals in destinations such as Dubai, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and England. Recently, Mark set sail with Matt Moran and Darren Purchese for Cunards maiden ‘Great Culinary Voyage’ on the Queen Elizabeth.

Mark aka “The Black Olive” is an iconic ambassador for “Indigenous Food and Hospitality” with unique skills in development of gourmet food products.