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A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Chef Marvin Woods
Media Kit
Chef Marvin Woods
Emmy Award-nominated Television Host, Chef and Author
Marvin Woods is an Emmy Award-nominated television host, lauded
cookbook author and celebrated chef. He is recognized by fans and peers
alike by his infectious personality, signature bandanas and his wildly
inventive take on food rooted in northern Africa, South America, the
Caribbean and the Low Country.
Marvin is a 23-year veteran in the hospitality and restaurant industry. His
first big break came when he helped Donald Trump open Harrah’s at
Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. He then went on to New York City to build an
impressive culinary pedigree, starting with The Sea Grill at Rockefeller Center, and then on to the Windows
on the World, Helmsley Palace, Quatorze and Arizona 206. He further cultivated his talent in London.
When Marvin took over as Executive Chef at New York’s Café Beulah’s, he won wide industry acclaim and
caught the attention of publishers and television executives. Along with the restaurant accolades, came a
book deal with William Morrow. His first effort, “The New Low Country,” garnered national media attention,
including appearances on CBS This Morning, Discovery Network and Lifetime. Publisher’s Weekly
proclaimed, “Woods’ inventiveness makes him a chef to watch!”
With all the industry buzz, Marvin was tapped to lead the kitchens of Savannah Restaurant, The National
Hotel, Hollywood Prime at the Westin Diplomat and M. Woods – all in Miami. His food was regularly
featured in O magazine, Food & Wine, Southern Living and many more national publications. Oprah
declared, “ Chef Marvin Woods’ dishes are light, sophisticated, exotic! ”
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In 2000, Marvin caught the attention of executives at Turner South who were looking for new talent for the
newly created regional cable network. Marvin was selected to host, Home Plate. The show was the
perfect vehicle to showcase his charismatic personality and lighter twist on traditional Southern cooking. It
was a big hit, regularly attracting more than 7.2 million viewers. Home Plate successfully ran for four
seasons until the network was acquired by Fox Sports in 2006. The show spawned a second cookbook,
Home Plate Cooking (Rutledge Hill Press 2004), which was a big success. The book continues to sell on
Amazon.com.
Marvin travels internationally for appearances and cooking demonstrations, and consistently draws
audiences of 200+. He has made several appearances as a guest chef at the James Beard House, and
has served as a featured chef at The Pillsbury Bake Off, the Miami Food & Wine Festival and Charlotte
Shout, as well as a judge for The Southern Living Cook Off. Marvin has participated in special promotions
for Food Lion Supermarkets and Publix; he currently serves as spokesperson for Char-Broil.
Currently, Marvin has been shooting interstitials for TBS and WPBA and has two new television show
projects in development. He also has been developing a national kids’ wellness program called Droppin’
Knowledge with Chef Marvin Woods that focuses on a positive way to combat childhood obesity. In
addition, Marvin just opened a new restaurant in Charlotte called “Woods on South,” which showcases
“Carolina Cuisine. Starting in late 2007, Marvin will have a line of spice blends and sauces available online
and in grocery stores. Marvin lives in Atlanta with his family. More information on Marvin can be found at
www.marvinwoods.net .
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Television
Home Plate – Turner South. Chef Marvin Woods served as host to
the wildly popular show, Home Plate on Turner South, a division of
TimeWarner. The show ran for four seasons from 2002-2006 and was
among the network’s top-rated shows. Home Plate averaged 7 million
viewers each night, Monday through Friday.
Home Plate for the Holidays with Marvin Woods. As a companion piece
to the Home Plate holiday special, Turner South produced and distributed a
DVD. It was offered through turnersouth.com, and more than 2,500+ DVDs
were sold.
Books
The New Low-Country Cooking
There's a whole world of flavor packed into an eighty-plus-square-mile area surrounding the
cities of Charleston and Savannah. It's called the Low-Country of South Carolina.
For centuries, Low-Country cooks have taken the diverse foods of Africa, France, Spain,
and the Caribbean and turned them into one of the most intriguing regional cuisines.
Marvin Woods offers a new take on this extraordinary cuisine. By incorporating these
international flavors with contemporary techniques, he stays true to the roots of the original
dish, yet creates new flavors that are innovative and delicious. With the sure hand of a seasoned chef, Woods
transforms standards like fried chicken and gumbo into updated dishes for today's kitchen. Try his Southern-Exposed
Fried Chicken; it's fried, then baked, for crispy, greaseless results. His Vegetable Gumbo is light, flavorful, and
satisfying. There's everything from Bourbon-Soaked Pork Chops and Barbecued Short Ribs to Pan-Seared Pompano
and Southern Summer Ratatouille.
Rice, South Carolina's great contribution to the American culinary melting pot, takes center stage in Crab and Shrimp
Pilau and Five-Greens Rice. You'll also find recipes for the ultimate Southern classics--biscuits and cornbread--along
with sensational desserts such as My Favorite Mini Mud Pies and Praline Bread Pudding.
But The New Low-Country Cooking is much more than a great cookbook. Woods shares historical tidbits on how
dishes and ingredients got their names, where they originated, and the indisputable importance of African-American
cooks in Southern life.
The New Low-Country Cooking hits a high note in American regional cuisine.
Home Plate Cooking
Nothing says the South more than its unique food and various cooking styles. Southern
recipes are cherished heirlooms passed down from generation to generation and Home Plate
Cooking shows how to prepare the same recipes your grandmother used to make, while
sharing fresh versions of the same food. That could mean preparing a marinade for collard
greens that will eliminate the need for fat back, or cutting down on preparation or cooking
time for a family favorite. Featuring 150 recipes, Home Plate Cooking celebrates home
cooked southern meals in a way southern recipes have never been presented before.
"I started challenging myself six or seven years ago to prepare tasty cuisine that reflected my
heritage and influence but to alter it so that people could eat it more than once a week and not have to worry about
suffering from high blood pressure in every bite," Woods said. In Home Plate Cooking, Woods shares recipes for
delicacies such as:
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Cheddar Grits Souffle
New Southern Chicken & Dumplings
Carrot Apple Slaw
Cheddar Cornbread
Okra & Tomatoes
Bourbon-Baked Ham
New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp
Pecan Sandies
The Buzz – What people say about Marvin
“ Chef Marvin Woods’ dishes are light, sophisticated, exotic!” – Oprah Winfrey
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“Overall, Woods’ inventiveness makes him a chef to watch.” – Publishers Weekly
“Being on Marvin’s TV show is pure fun! He is an outstanding chef and host, and his southern recipes are
so good!” – Shirley O. Corriher, author of CookWise
Home Plate Cooking, September 16, 2005
Reviewer: G. Prescott "Peconpie-Man"
As one that watches his TV show whenever the opportunity allows me, I had to have a copy of his book.
And as one born and raised in the south, I find that his recipes, while not exactly as I knew them, do remain
faithful to many of the meals I grew up with. I don't always follow them as written (I sneak in a few of my
Mothers methods) nonetheless, you can't go wrong with any of his.
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The king of southern food does it again., November 4, 2004
Reviewer: Wesley Ishee (Charlotte, North Carolina)
After virtually wearing out the pages of Marvin Woods' first book, I came across this one and immediately
snatched it up. Once again, Mr. Woods brings fourth classically elegant dishes of the south with a more
modern flair. These dishes are the sort that not only offer down home flavor to any meal, but will offer the
romanticism of the old South. Any guest at your home will be thrilled to be treated to these regional
specialties. You need not be a professional cook to be successful with these dishes, following the directions
will yield wonderful results that will have you and your guests harkening back to the Spanish moss
mansions of the deep south. Buy this book, you won’t be disappointed.
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The MAN can COOK ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !, May 23, 2001
Reviewer: greg leaf (Glorieta, New Mexico)
Insightful without being fussy or new age. The man obviously knows the culture and history behind this
regional cooking. The attention to rice, sauces, and other basics is helpful and a terrific refresher course.
The buttermilk biscuit recipe is foolproof and an absolute winner. If a cook can present a recipe this well, he
has my attention and appreciation. What is next, Marvin????
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Marvin Woods is the low country king, April 18, 2003
Reviewer: Wesley Ishee (Charlotte, North Carolina)
This book offers incredible recipes that truly convey the flair of low-country cuisine. If you are looking to
expand your cooking horizons with the addition of robust and creative dishes from the charming south, this
is the roadmap that will get you there. Inventive dishes and practically goof proof instruction. This man has
made it easy to bring spicy elegance to the dinner table. I recently bought this after seeing him cook on the
discovery channel and I have been eating these dishes ever since. Buy this book - you won’t be
disappointed.
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