By Chuck Darrow
It is said you can judge a person by the company they keep. If so, it’s pretty easy to take a measure of Markus Holm—at least professionally.
The 52-year-old native of Dusseldorf, Germany (he was raised in the small town of Kiel near the Danish border) recently assumed the title of executive chef at Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, the acclaimed, Boardwalk-fronting dining salon at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. Since arriving in Atlantic City in 2009 Holm has worked with (and been mentored by) three of the super-est of the world’s culinary superstars: Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay and Gordon Ramsay.
Puck and Flay employed him at the restaurants they used to operate at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa, while his time with Ramsay was spent at Gordon Ramsay Steak inside Harrah’s Casino Resort.
“Those three chefs have different characters in the kitchen,” replied the genial Holm in a lightly accented English when asked about his experiences during a recent chat at Council Oak.
“Wolfgang just loves to cook, and he loves to be in the kitchen. Chef Bobby Flay was always on point, and he has a clear vision of what he wants to cook. He gives you the orders left and right, what he wants, what he expects. And Gordon Ramsay is just very particular about the plate and the items he cooks.”
All three, he continued, helped form his kitchen-running style. “I picked the best of those chefs and combined it all with my character and my [leadership] style in the kitchen.”
It was Puck who provided Holm—who first came to Atlantic City for an entry-level job at the Sultan’s Feast buffet at what was then Trump Taj Mahal Casino-Resort (now Hard Rock)—who provided Holm with his most memorable assignment to date.
In 2012, he joined the celebrity-chef in catering the Governors Ball, the post-ceremony bash at the Academy Awards. While it was a once-in-a-lifetime gig, it wasn’t quite as glamorous as one might think.
For starters, Holm explained, he was responsible for his transportation and lodging expenses. And the cross-country trip involved working more than just the event.
“I had to report at Spago [Puck’s iconic Hollywood eatery] because he wanted to have me for two nights there…cooking.
“And what I did for days was [create] little goat-cheese marshmallows. You just roll the goat cheese, and then you cut it. But you’re talking like 8,000 plates; every plate had like three or four. I was constantly rolling, rolling the goat cheese.”
The bash itself likewise offered little in the way of excitement, despite the glittering circumstances and star-power of the guests.
“You couldn’t interact with anybody,” said Holm, who, with his wife Samantha, has a 10-year-old daughter, Olivia, and 8-year-old twins, Vanessa and Cooper. “I mean, some actors came in the kitchen, but you were so focused on doing your job you didn’t even look up.
“You’re just like soldiers, not talking, nothing. There wasn’t any chance for us to go out. It was a high security area where we had the bomb squad check us every day.
“I had to ship my knives from here to L.A. to pick it up and then had to go to the security gate with my knife bag. And the guard asked me, ‘Do you have any weapons on you?’ I said, ‘I wouldn’t consider them weapons, but I have some knives in here.’
“And there were K-9 dogs in the kitchen. I looked at the executive chef—‘Dogs in the kitchen?’ He was like, ‘Welcome to Hollywood.’ It was just a totally different world over there.”
Nonetheless, his time spent in L.A. for the Oscars bash remains a treasured memory. “I have the [security] sticker,” he beamed. “It still sits in my room.”
Ch-ch-changes at Borgata
Last week, Borgata took a step towards reimagining its gaming space when it permanently turned off the lights at Gypsy Bar, the live-music venue that had been a fixture at the Big B since the bayside adult playpen opened in July, 2003.
The closure was the first phase of a major upgrade project that will result in an expansion of the casino floor. Also in the works are a restaurant described as “a new Asian cuisine concept” (something that Borgata has lacked since the 2023 closing of Izakya, which was another Day One establishment). There will also be a new bar focusing on rare liquors from around the world.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this project as we look ahead to this next phase of Borgata’s evolution,” said Nik Rytterstrom, the property’s president & COO.
“These enhancements are not just about maintaining our position in the market; – they’re about pushing the boundaries of what our guests can expect from a world-class gaming destination.”
No time frame for the new additions has been announced.
Fanatics bets on Ocean
And speaking of changes at AyCee betting parlors, just in time for the 2024 NFL season, the Fanatics sports-betting operation has set up shop at Ocean Casino Resort.
The Fanatics Sportsbook is located inside The Gallery, a sprawling, 60-seat elevated bar-and-lounge area surrounded by slot machines, gaming tables and boasting 140 feet worth of LED video screens. Ocean considers the space the centerpiece of its casino floor.
Those who wish to wager on various sporting events—including, but not limited to, professional and college football, basketball, hockey and baseball, tennis and MMA events —can place their bets with staffers at windows inside the book, or at Fanatics-branded self-service kiosks located throughout the casino.
“Fanatics boasts an unmatched roster of the world’s most renown sports leagues, teams, and global brands,” said Bill Callahan, the luxe gaming hall’s general manager. “We are excited to present these to our guests here at Ocean.”
Chuck Darrow has spent more than 40 years writing about Atlantic City casinos.
