Marsh Mokhtari, host of Food Network's Extreme Chef, was born in the U.K., spent his first six years in Asia, and later lived on four continents. So Marsh’s globetrotting and love of food started at a very early age. His father is by far his biggest inspiration in the kitchen: With his reckless abandon not to follow recipes, he encouraged Marsh to experiment with cooking and make his own path, a philosophy Marsh lives by every day.

For college, Marsh moved to the U.K., where he earned a degree in medical physics from Newcastle University. During his studies, he played American football for the U.K. national team and rugby for the Newcastle Falcons. After a brief career in London's financial sector, the lure of travel, adventure and food once again took him on a journey, this time to Australia, where he had a fortuitous encounter with a film crew and found his true passion. The thrill of the entertainment industry took Marsh not to Hollywood, but to of all places, Bolivia, where he hosted Death Road, a one-hour special for the History Channel that garnered him instant credibility. His next move was to Los Angeles, where he's been hosting adventure TV shows for the past eight years. Marsh is currently mixing his love of adventure, travel and food as the host of Food Network’s Extreme Chef.