18 November 2025
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Congratulations to India Doris, chef of Markette and the 2025 MICHELIN Guide Northeast Cities Young Chef Award Winner, presented in partnership with Sysco!
Growing up in London with a Jamaican mother and a Scottish father, Chef Doris built Markette as an “autobiographical extension” of herself. After professionally training in kitchens in the U.K., Spain, France and the U.S., she designed Markette to express her childhood flavors with the advanced techniques she learned along the way.
Recently, we spoke with her about her journey to becoming the chef she is today.
What inspired you to become a chef?
My grandma is Jamaican. She cooked a lot for the family, and every Sunday, she would cook dinner for a bunch of Caribbean people from the neighborhood. Our house was a place that everyone could come and have dinner parties.
When I was young, she wouldn't let anyone go in the kitchen, because she was very particular about how she ran her kitchen. Eventually, after bugging her for a long time, she eventually let me in there to help her.
What’s the journey been like?
I started really young. I was 15. I left [school] a little bit earlier. I was working full-time in restaurants all over London. I was living on my own, so I had to take it seriously. I'm a competitive person. I really enjoyed the work-hard, play-hard vibe that the restaurant life was giving. It just fit. It's like a pirate ship, but a very smooth, on-point environment. I just thrived off of it, and I wanted to be part of it no matter what.
What did you learn from Chef James Kent?
I worked with James for eight years total. I spent a long time with him, and he taught me a lot. We got Two Stars at Saga. When we first opened, it took a lot of work from everyone, and I learned how to move as one collective within the kitchen. I was able to really tighten up the food that I wanted to do. Make it clean, tasty and look nice.
How do we see your culture and training expressed?
You see it everywhere. You see it in the food. A lot of the food I do is not traditional. I'm not a traditional person. I like to come up with my own ideas and spin off of my Jamaican heritage. With my grandma, we used to cook a lot when I was a kid. A lot of the spice we use is from that region. Living in France and Spain, it was interesting for me to see how other countries use the ingredients that I grew up eating and cooking. I put my own spin on it.
What motivates you in your kitchen?
My team. They help keep me on my toes. I have a really good group of people who’ve been with me for a while. They worked with me at Crown Shy and Saga, where we got our MICHELIN Stars. They understand the level that we need to be at. We speak the same language. They inspire me.
Personal favorites on the menu?
The salt cod, the oxtail and the chicken. It's not a traditional peri-peri chicken. It's my version of what I liked. When I was a kid, I used to go to Nando's as much as I could. I would always order the chicken with the fries. On the wall, there's a pile full of different peri-peri sauces. I would smother it all over the chicken. For Markette, I put the whole sauce on the chicken and called it a day. Not super traditional, but it's the way I like it.
Who would you want to visit Markette?
My gran. I know that's silly, but I would love for her to come, but she's not so well.
What advice would you give to a young chef?
If it was easy, everyone would do it. Just come in with your head down and your knife sharp.
What's your vision for the restaurant?
I want us to be one of the best restaurants in New York. We have the ability and mindset to do that. We're always striving to be better. I don't think that's off the table. We're definitely capable.
Hero image: ©Natalie Black/Markette - India Doris
