Mark “Dino” Meredith
Compiled by Bert Hall of the Samoalive News Alliance October 2002
Mark “Dino” Meredith
started cooking at his family's Inter-Continental restaurant as a youngster in
Pago Pago, American Samoa. Brief stints working different positions in the
family restaurant were the early beginnings of a promising career, one which
eventually land him in Las Vegas.
Born in 1969 to Mark Richard Meredith and Pontisettia Rassmusen, Dino as he
known to family and friends would become one of first professionally trained
chefs to hail from Samoa. Not many sons or daughters of Samoa seek out the fast
paced, stressed-out world of the Culinary Arts. Dino, on the other hand has had
a desire, and pursued it. In the late 60’s Dino’s father was stationed in in
Hawaii serving in the USAF. Having moved there shortly after meeting his wife,
who was a professional dancer from Apia. They met during one of his trips to
Western Samoa. After his time in the Air Force the family moved to Pago Pago
where Dino grandfather owned a couple of businesses, a barbershop and
restaurant. The restaurant as it was known, Soli’s - was American Samoa’s first
Samoan owned family style restaurant. Its owner, the late Soli Aolaolagi was a
retired US Naval Fita Fita and had opened the restaurant in modest beginnings
before Dino’s dad, Mark took over the operations and modernized it. Since
American Samoa at the time was a major stopover for military and some
adventurous tourists, it was time to streamline the menu to attract both the
local and a more upscale business clientele. Soli’s was the only one of its kind
in Pago Pago offering tableside service. Service which included all the best,
fine linen, china, silverware, wine and spirits, the whole works.
From the early 70’s to the late 80’s Dino worked hard at the family restaurant
which was later renamed Soli & Mark’s. While attending school at Marist Brothers
during the day, his evenings and weekends consisted of helping in the kitchen,
bussing tables, bartending or lending a hand wherever he was needed. During his
first couple of years in high school, he actually began entertaining the idea of
eventually someday going to culinary industry.
In 1985 his father was asked to cater the Inauguration of the Governor’s Party
at the time, A. P. Lutali. It was during the Inauguration, that it became clear
to him that this would be his calling. His father had in the past hired chefs
from Hawaii and the mainland from time to time for the restaurant. However, for
this occasion he was looking for the best, something special for this once in
lifetime opportunity. His inspiration would come in the form as Master Chef,
Dale Radenski. He being, the executive chef at the Waikiki Sheraton. Dale was an
alumnus of the CIA, the Culinary Institute of America. This institution Dino
would eventually attend thanks to the advice of his father, and a referral by
Dale. Dale and the team recruited for the catering had prepared a wide array of
foods, which scoped continents. You might even say that this is where the term
eye candy originated. The way they would prepare and display the various dishes
was detailed and presentation was everything. Dino was in awe as he watched the
chef create stunning ice carvings that would serve as centerpieces on the
display tables. He was beginning to see the big picture, which outside of Samoa
would open many doors to the Culinary World, educating him in the process.
Upon graduation from Marist Brothers High School in 1986, he enrolled at the
prestigious Culinary Institute of America in High Park, New York. There he
discovered that he was the only Samoan among thousands studying the fine arts of
cuisine. A few Hawaiians would come and go, sitting in on 3-month refresher
courses or specialized classes, but Dino was here for the long haul. Every three
weeks a new recruits class would begin, and another class graduate. The schools
wait list was six months to a year. Dino was fortunate enough to be referred by
their business colleague, Mr. Radenski that shortened his wait time to less than
6 months. The education he received at the CIA was immeasurable. Master Chefs
from Europe and the US immersed them in the history of cuisine, the basic
fundamentals including areas such as soups, stock, knifing skills, menu design,
terminology, etc. On campus they had five restaurants, three of those being 5
Star, and the other two, 4 and 3 Star restaurants. Dino especially liked working
at the later restaurant, St. Andrews. Its forte was Health conscious cooking
with emphasis on fat free, low fat, low carb, Chinese influences and bold
California Nouveau. Dino’s addition to this type of cuisine is his version of a
Samoan influenced gazpachito, a cold European vegetable based soup. In this he
incorporates luau (baby taro leaves) and pe’epe’e (coconut cream) as well as
other tropical fruits indigenous to Samoa.
After graduation from CIA he returned to Samoa to put his newfound skills to
work at the family business. It was a success. He loved his work, but soon
packed his bags to discover and polish his ingenuity as a head chef onboard one
of the many purse seiners docked in Pago Pago Harbor. He was soon hired as head
chef on one of the boats going out to sea 3-4 months at a time, cooking three
meals daily, seven days a week. It was a never-ending job, but at the same time,
he was able to innovate and blend many ideas and methods of food preparation
since he so was aptly prepared. Cooking for crews of twenty plus hungry men from
various parts of the world, Dino began incorporating all these food variations
which made for an interesting and fulfilling plate. Testing these waters
prepared him for moving back to the US mainland where would return to the tile
kitchens.
In 1995 Dino moved to St. George, Utah where he worked for several years at the
Virgin River Casino and Players Island Resort as an Executive Sous Chef. In 1999
he left to work at the Red Mountain Spa doing the same. After the World Trade
Center 9/11 incident, travel had declined immensely and so did traffic to the
spa, which in turn meant – slow, to no business. Dino then planned for the next
move. Having the experience he acquired while employed at these establishments;
education, previous background, and contacts now gave him the tools necessary to
move on to the big time – Las Vegas.
Earlier this year in February, he landed a job with a group of partners from
Maui who were in the process of opening a Hawaiian style fine dining restaurant.
Through his brother-in-law he heard about the interviews, so he applied and was
hired. Under the guidance of Executive chef/General partner – Craig Connole whom
was the Executive chef at the Five Star Nui Nui Room at the Ritz Carlton Maui,
Dino is destined for greatness in Culinary Industry. As a head chef he is able
to create and design in the various dishes offered at his newest restaurant, the
Hawaiian Plantation House located in Henderson. Pago Pago is a long way from Las
Vegas but the journey taken by this uso is even longer and the recognition is
well deserved.
Dino’s current plan of action is to raise his family here in Las Vegas as
progresses with his livelihood. He met his wife Pona while she was a waitress in
Soli & Marks. She is a graduate of Samoana High School and from the village of
Leloaloa. Together they have four children, 3 girls and 1 boy, there are Timena,
11, Taimane, 9 and Tesema 3, and little tama Kele (Plenty) who is 2. Dino
envisions himself as an educator and motivator within the community. He hopes to
inspire other young Samoans to venture into this growing field of Fine Dining
and Culinary Arts. Dino he has already spoken to several young Samoan men from
Las Vegas and the surrounding valley, encouraging them to travel the straight
and narrow. He has given them a taste and tour of his facility which has left an
impressionable mark on them.
You can visit Mark “Dino” Meredith at this restaurant and taste all the
extravagant dishes at the Hawaiian Plantation House located at 10940 South
Eastern, Henderson, NV 89052, just off Interstate 215-East. Call 702-990-6341
for reservations. Make sure you tell them you read about him online @
SamoaLive.com