“It’s not about fancy ingredients anymore…. It’s about connection, creativity, and making something out of what you have.”
Mark Dougherty
RaW pOeT
Poet + Personal Chef
Mark grew up in a world that valued hard work and success but never showed him what either really meant. He learned to adapt, to wear masks, and to chase external approval, often feeling misunderstood and disconnected from himself. Even as he built a career in food, from restaurant kitchens to the Coast Guard, he felt something was missing. The pressure to achieve left little space for reflection, creativity, or emotional honesty.
Through cooking and poetry, Mark found a new kind of success, one rooted in reflection, presence, and love. Food became his language for connection; poetry became his outlet for truth. He stopped living for external validation and started living with intention, creating a rhythm of honesty, stillness, and compassion. Now, he uses both his art and his work to help others reconnect with themselves, showing that nourishment and self-awareness can coexist… even on a budget.
Mark is a poet and personal chef who believes reflection is the most essential ingredient in any kind of nourishment. After years of chasing traditional success, he found peace in slowing down, cooking with intention, writing from honesty, and helping others reconnect with themselves through simple, mindful living. His work blends affordability with authenticity, encouraging people to feed both body and soul without overcomplication or pretense.
Links
Member of the “What If” Community Series
Upcoming 5-part food series on affordable nourishment & reflection
Interested in creating guided conversations on self-awareness, creativity, and food access