Daily Inspiration: Meet Mark Dandurand

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Dandurand.

Hi Mark, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Mark grew up in Warrensburg, Mo, and took a summer job during high school washing dishes at a local restaurant. He worked his way up through the stations during college, and eventually took a  KM job at an Italian restaurant during his undergrad in Springfield Mo. After graduating with a degree in media production,  he decided to attend culinary school at OTC and took a sous chef position at a local country club. 

Upon graduating from culinary school he took an opportunity to move to Wyoming and was the Chef at a dude ranch for 3 years. He learned a lot about volume cooking, menu planning, proper ordering and product utilization. 

He moved back to Kansas City in 2014 and was hired on at Local Pig Westport. He cites this as likely one of the most significant points in his career. “The team we had in that building for such a short period of time has gone on to do so many great things in the industry in KC. Most of them I still collaborate on dinners with or call on when I’m in a pinch.” 

He went on to open SoT with Rachel Rinas and Erik Mariscal, (both from Local Pig Westport) with a rotating menu of elevated cocktails and creative menu items. “We had the chance to just make the food we wanted to make. It was a very stimulating environment to work in, there were no rules with what we wanted to try. The conversations in that building usually started with one of us saying “What if” and then we ran with the idea until we figured out how to make it happen. Many of the concepts and sauces that originated in that environment still pop up on my menus to this day.” 

From there he spent a few years at Stock Hill on the plaza, back to high volume production in a fine dining atmosphere. It was a great experience where he learned a lot about time/staff/production management. “The core team I had there was another really strong group, A few of them even came with me to the next stop in my career.”

An opportunity to develop his own concept and menu presented itself in the form of a spot at Strang Hall in Overland park. “We opened Fond in January 2020, leaning into classic American cuisine with an inspired approach. Though the year didn’t play out in a way that anyone expected, we had a great run and got to develop some really exciting dishes and food.” 

When it came time for restaurants to look at reopening he found myself looking a new place to call home. A few friends shared an online job post for a chef job at Canary and he got his resume sent off immediately. During the fall/winter of 2020 he did a few tastings and menu pitches for owners Keely Edgington and Beau Williams he landed the job. 

“We opened Canary in early January 2021, one of the wildest times to open a new restaurant. The teamwork and staff from are what really makes this place feel like the right move. We started pretty lean, just me and two cooks in the kitchen.”

“Overall I’ve been very fortunate in my career. The typical struggles of any cook/chef have been a factor but the time and effort I put into each opportunity have helped me to end up where I am now. Keeping an open mind and a positive attitude are key in this industry.”

He attributes a lot of his success to keeping an open mind and the willingness to always take a meeting or explore an opportunity. “The hospitality industry relies on collaboration and communication. Maintaining good relationships with previous employers, staff and peers can make a world of difference.” 

When he found out that Fond was going to be closing he had to tell his staff. “ It was one of the hardest things I have had to do. Explaining to them that it wasn’t due to a lack of effort or a reflection of us as a team was difficult, it was a direct result of how the events of 2020 wrecked our industry.” Though some of them moved on to different projects, he reached out when he landed the job at Canary and a few came on board. 

“Cooking from scratch, sourcing locally and product utilization are my favorite parts of what I do.” He rotates the menu seasonally which allows him to purchase the products from farmers and producers that are in abundance during each season. 

“We have very little waste in our kitchen and teaching that to my staff has been very rewarding. I think they enjoy the variety and challenges that come with cooking this way. It  allows us to be creative and to keep learning and pushing ourselves to try something new.” 

“Every Chef gets asked, “what’s your favorite thing to cook?” Honestly, I just really love to cook. There are few things more satisfying than the texture of a really good batch of pasta dough, or gnocchi dough, getting the right balance of sweet, salt, acid, and heat in a sauce. Trying a new recipe for something that you’re not sure will work and discussing the result.”

What sets me apart from others? 
“Croutons. Our croutons are one of my favorite things on the menu at Canary. I would tell you about them but I think you just need to come in and try them for yourself.  After sharing 5 or 6 plates and talking through the dishes it is my favorite when a guest asks about the croutons.” 

“Our pork stew is another standout. I learned to make Chile Verde during my time in Wyoming after picking up roasted hatch chiles from roadside markets in Colorado. I adjusted, tested and I think maybe perfected my recipe over the past few years. We tweak the garnish on the dish with seasonal menu changes but the base recipe remains relatively unchanged.” 

There are two things about this industry that I do my best to make a point of focusing on. First, responsible sourcing/purchasing. Sourcing locally is important but sourcing responsibly goes hand in hand. Just because it’s local doesn’t mean I’m going to purchase it. The personal relationship with the producer/farmer is important. Their business practices are important. How they treat their animals, how they treat their staff, what kind of growing practices they have, and do I feel good about them and the operation. So many restaurants are only focused on cost, and restaurants run on very slim margins so keeping costs in check is important to be profitable. I take a lot of pride in how and what we source, turning those ingredients into delicious, satisfying, and fulfilling dishes is what we do. 

Second, providing a positive, respectful, and safe work/life for my staff. That’s it. As inherently demanding, stressful, and overwhelming as this industry can be I try my best to keep the atmosphere in the kitchen as constructive and inclusive as possible.”

Contact Info:

• Email: chef@canarykc.com
• Website: canarykc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canary_kc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canarykc

Image Credits:
Photography by Aaron Leimkuehler