Born and bred in Brooklyn, NY, Chef Franklin is a busy man. In addition to penning his third book on healthy cooking, titled Good Fat, Great Flavor, he has helmed the kitchens of such esteemed Manhattan restaurants as Local, Capital, Brasserie, Catch, and Little Beet. He is now the founder of the instructional cooking website 100 Pleats. Throughout his career, Becker has received glowing reviews from such acclaimed critics as Gael Greene of New York Magazine and William Grimes of The New York Times, who wrote that Becker has “A talent for delivering big, punchy flavors.” In 2021, Franklin and his team will launch a dynamic food hall at Columbia Universities' Jerome L. Greene Science Center in Harlem. His focus continues to be on fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients that are health conscious without skimping on taste.

Mike has spent his career investing in and operating innovative businesses, with a particular emphasis on the food & beverage industry. He has led investments in numerous private companies, and has advised dozens of other businesses across key financial and strategic capabilities.

Previously, Mike helped launch a Pizza Hut franchise in Sub-Saharan Africa, called Marathon Restaurant Group. The company had the rights to the Pizza Hut brand in South Africa, Botswana, and Nigeria. Mike was responsible for helping set up the company’s corporate infrastructure in Cape Town and getting the initial eight stores open. His role included overseeing the company’s strategy, setting up the company’s supply chain, executing strategic acquisition due diligence, and overseeing the company's finances. Prior to business school, Mike worked as an equity research analyst covering the restaurant and food verticals at Stifel Nicolaus and Cowen and Company. While there, Mike covered 40+ publicly traded restaurant and food companies, meeting with management teams, building financial models, and writing investment research reports.

Mike is a CFA charterholder. He received his MBA from Columbia Business School, and his Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

A graduate of the prestigious Johnson & Wales University, Garcia quickly rose up the ranks in several kitchens across the country. He honed his culinary skills in restaurants like Jean Georges Vongerichten’s Prime Steakhouse at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV), Jean Georges Flagship in NYC which he joined in 1998 followed by Drew Nieporent’s Myriad Restaurant Group’s Lucca at the Boca Raton Resort and Club (Boca Raton, FL) in 2000.

Jumping at the chance to join Mario Batali’s Lupa as a pasta cook, Garcia returned to New York in 2003. Two years later, he joined the opening team of Del Posto as chef di cuisine, where he developed the restaurant’s menu alongside Chef Mark Ladner. Having worked with Batali for three years, Garcia credits him with teaching him how to be, “authentically Italian and to respect the culture and tradition of regional Italian cuisine.”

In 2006, Garcia was sought out to take over as executive chef at ‘Cesca. While at ‘Cesca, He opened Accademia di Vino, where he was also a co-owner. Chef Garcia was responsible for maintaining the restaurants’ level of excellence and their authentic Italian menus.

After eight years, Chef Garcia then joined restaurateur Marlon Abela and his Morello and A Voce Madison restaurants in late 2012, where he created menus inspired by three of his favorite regions in Italy: Rome, Tuscany and Sicily. In September of 2014, Chef Garcia joined the Giovanni Rana team as Executive Chef of their Chelsea Market Rana Pastaficio e Cucuna and the R&D team in their Chicago Retail Production Plant for Rana USA.

In 2019 Chef Garcia joined F. Becker Hospitality Group as Culinary Director. F. Becker Hospitality Group opens, consults, manages and operates new fine and fast casual dining concepts around the country.

Chef Garcia lives in Stamford , CT with his wife and two sons.