After 17 years as an acclaimed chef in Portland, Oregon, Matt is returning to his Houston roots, where his culinary career began at age 10. While his mother worked an evening job, Matt wrote extensive menus, set elaborate tables, took orders and whipped up the meanest grilled cheese sandwiches for his two older sisters. Never mind that grilled cheese was the only item he could cook; it served as a springboard for a future career and rapidly rising star.

From his humble beginnings of grilled cheese, we’ve snatched up Matt to be our Big Cheese. You’ll find him throughout the store trying new items, perfecting and photographing recipes, straightening up shelves and working on a new, soon-to-be-released menu. His Phoenicia faves include The Butcher pizza, ceviche, beef shawarma and “anything Lito makes”. During his off-Phoodie hours, Matt likes to train labrador retrievers, raise chickens, keep bees, hunt, fish and fix “normal” food for his family at home. Since son Connor’s favorite dishes include the likes of chicken-fried pheasant and truffle butter pasta, we’d like to savor Matt’s version of “normal” food, too!