Born and raised in Anchorage, Chef Adam Marcum is Alaskan to the core. Whether it was fishing for salmon and halibut in Prince William Sound, or hunting moose and Caribou along the Denali Highway, he’s always known and appreciated the great bounty of the Last Frontier. His first experience of the culinary world occurred in high school, igniting a passion for food that remains the lynchpin of his life.
Adam traveled to Colorado to study culinary arts at the Art Institute of Colorado. The skills and lessons he learned there led him to return home to Anchorage, earning his stripes as a line cook in the downtown restaurant scene. In 2013, he partnered with local coffee company Kaladi Brothers to help create the Rustic Goat—a cozy, casual dining experience focused on craft beer and New American comfort food. Adam strives to use local, seasonal ingredients to highlight all that Alaska has to offer.
Since the Rustic Goat’s opening, Adam’s interest has expanded to include food preservation and fermentation—and learning how to enjoy Alaska’s short growing season all year long. Curing and smoking are major parts of his cooking ethos, and more often than not if he’s not in the restaurant, you’ll find him outside, working on his enormous custom-built smoker.