Chef Jack Mac: “I’m just a cook at heart.”
Begin with a base of humility and gratitude, add a lot of grit, layer all of that over a heaping amount of gravatas, and top with a whole jar of spice, and you have everything that makes Chef Jack “Mac” MacMurray one of the greatest chefs in the world. That’s not hyperbole. That’s a fact. He’s very spicy - in the best possible way.
As the executive chef at Old Hickory Golf Club, this two-time Bacon World Food Champion has earned recognition well beyond the St. Louis area. Yet, when he talks about his success, his focus shifts to the people around him: his wife and daughter, his team at Old Hickory, led by General Manager Pete Christo, and his friends in the food industry who have become part of his journey.
“I’m just a cook at heart,” he says—a statement that captures the humility that comes from a career experiencing the highs and lows of cooking in some of the best kitchens in the country. “To be a champion is great. To be a two-time champion is awesome,” he said, adding, “It comes from decades of experience and failure.”
World Food Champion
For Chef Jack Mac, the World Food Championships have never been just another culinary showdown—they’ve become an eight-year journey defined by pressure, persistence, and the kind of humility that comes from cooking alongside the best in the world. As he puts it, “It’s a lot to soak in your first year.”
Jack’s rise began in 2019, when he earned his first Golden Ticket through a People’s Choice win, launching him onto a national stage where more than 1,600 chefs compete across 10 categories, with only 60 to 90 minutes to deliver perfection. One misstep can end everything.
His debut was impressive—fourth in the world with a bacon Bloody Mary—but a less-than-tender pork belly taught him a hard lesson. He went home, studied, practiced, and returned stronger. That determination paid off in 2021 when he captured the Smoked Bacon title with a dish that was quintessential Chef Jack: bacon-wrapped pork belly over bacon bourbon jam with a bacon-jalapeño pancake. Sweet and spicy.
Even with a four-point lead heading into the finals, his wife Rachel kept him grounded: “Don’t get all cocky now.” He executed when it mattered and won by just a few points.
Jack’s journey didn’t stop there. He earned a spot at the Final Table, posted a 99-point dish, and missed the $100,000 prize by half a point, instead taking home $5,000. Rachel joked, “It should’ve been $50,000,” but Jack stayed true to his outlook: “It’s $5,000 more than we had last week.”
There were setbacks—missing the Top 10 as a defending champ, a hospitalization that kept him from a final round—but in 2024, he claimed his second Smoked Bacon title with a brand-new dish because, as he says, “I gotta change it up.” The result was a fresh creation featuring bacon-wrapped pork belly, bacon sweet potato cake, and a bacon pecan bun bite. Perfection.
Now, preparing for 2026, Chef Jack is back in the kitchen, dreaming, testing, refining. For him, the championships aren’t just about titles; they’re a celebration of craft, creativity, and camaraderie.
Relationships That Matter
Chef Jack’s approach to cooking mirrors his approach to people: quality and consistency.
His longtime connection with Mike Vujević began years ago when Mike worked at Bob’s Seafood answering the phone. Chef Jack remembers their conversations before they ever met face-to-face.
“We’d talk kitchen lingo and bust chops,” Chef Jack says. “We both have seen it all in this industry.”
Over time, that easy conversation developed into mutual respect and trust. Today, as a co-owner of City Seafood, Mike sources the highest quality, fresh seafood. Still, it’s his consistency, communication, and shared pride in feeding people well that is most important to Chef Jack.
Bringing Flavor Home
Chef Jack also believes great flavor should not be limited to the club kitchen. His custom-blended rubs, first created in 1994, are available on his website and in his Signature Chef Selection Box, which is available online at City Seafood.
With names like Killer Cajun Spice, Totally Tuscan Spice, Everything Spice, and Member’s Rub, home cooks can instantly envision the culinary creations these blends inspire. Elevate salmon, steak, roasted vegetables, pasta, and everyday weeknight meals with the same world-class flavor Chef Jack brings to his kitchen.
For Chef Jack, the greatest reward is not simply earning a title or creating a beautiful dish. It is waking up each day with an opportunity to cook, lead, learn, and bring happiness to others with a whole lot of spice.
Visit chefjackmac.com for more.
"To be a champion is great. To be a two-time champion is awesome... It comes from decades of experience and failure."