Celebrity Style
The Bear Actor, Co-Producer And Real-life Chef Matty Matheson Shares His Family Recipes
Published on January 17, 2024
Matty Matheson is a small-town punk-turned-celebrity-chef-restauraunteur and most recently, an actor and co-producer on the Emmy-winning comedy series The Bear. After dropping out of cooking school to tour with his friends’ band across Canada, he used his skill and personality to work his way up through Toronto’s restaurant kitchens, becoming the executive chef at Parts & Labour and eventually starting his own restaurant group. When he’s not accepting Emmy’s, writing best-selling cookbooks, designing a cookware line, or busy at one of his top restaurants including the beloved Matty’s Patty’s, the Canadian restauranteur is cooking his family’s favorite dishes.
“I love the instant gratification you get: either you cook something and it’s great, or it isn’t,” says Matty. “Food is very honest. I love restaurants — it’s my business — but the cooking that I’m really passionate about is when I’m at home doing it for my family, where I’m really cooking for love.”
Scroll down for some of his go-to meals!
“My love of restaurants comes from my grandfather,” says Matty. “Growing up in the Maritimes, we’d go to his restaurant, Blue Goose, in Prince Edward Island. Me and my brothers and sister used to hang out in the booths, make our own milkshakes and scoop ice cream. Both of my parents cooked a lot, too. My mom would mill her own flour and make fresh bread every morning.”
Matty and his wife, Trish Spencer (shown above) were married in 2014 and have three kids.
A polaroid photo of the couple on their wedding day is clipped to a pipe in their kitchen. Matty and Trish have been together since the were teenage sweethearts.
The family’s fun collection of vintage ceramics (including commemorative Jackie and John F. Kennedy salt and pepper shakers) is displayed in the kitchen.
“This is a Canadian classic that makes me feel warm inside. It’s easy, and if you don’t have time to make a dough, just buy it! I love making big batches with the family because the kids can play with the dough, make their own little versions, and the pies freeze really well. It gives me the most nostalgic feeling when I eat it — meat pie with ketchup!”
Get the recipe for Beef Tourtière
“My son, Mac, is a picky eater, but he loves soup,” says Matty. “If you make a salty chicken broth, he’ll eat whatever you put in it. This chicken soup is my grandmother’s recipe. If you’re having a bad day, make yourself some chicken soup.”
Get Matty’s family recipe for Chicken Soup.
“The post roast is just like making a diamond: apply a little pressure and time… and you’ll have a beautiful piece of meat,” he says.
Get the recipe for Matty’s Pot Roast.
“This dressing hits all the notes,” says Matty. “You get the high acid and saltiness from the yuzu and soy, crunch and freshness from the hot chilis and cilantro stem, and the toasted sesame oil balances it all out,” he says.
Get his recipe for Yuzu-Marinated Cucumber and Radish Salad.
“This is Trish’s aunt’s recipe,” says Matty. “I love olives and I was like, wait a minute, you can make a salad dressing out of olives? This is my all-time favorite salad dressing.”
Get the recipe for Green Olive Dressing.
“Trish’s Hello Dolly Squares are incredible,” he says. “I love their dense, chewy texture and when they’re set in the fridge, the hard chocolate chip. It’s high-impact sugar.”
Get Trish’s recipe for this delectable sweet treat.
Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott