Chef Matthew Kings passion for food began at a young age, encouraged by his Grandfathers enthusiasm he began his culinary adventure at a catering company in his home town of Shrewsbury Massachusetts. It was then that he knew he was destined to be a chef.
Chef King graduated from the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America in 1996. In his quest for great food he has worked in places like the five star Ponte Vedra Inn & Club in Florida, and under Chefs Christian Delouvrier and Andre Renard at the famous Essex House in New York. It was there he cooked for two Presidents as well as many other foreign dignitaries, and catered the James Beard Foundation awards dinner, before returning to his home in Boston.
Chef King spent several years in Boston with Starwood Hotels and at The Fleet Center refining his skills catering for the likes of Bono, The Dali Lama, Elton John and many others before taking a post as Executive Chef with Jurys Hotels.
Chef King opened Jurys Boston hotel, a four star, four diamond property, where he spread his culinary wings. It was there that his commitment to freshness and support of local farmers grew. His restaurant the Stanhope Grille was named one of “The Great New Restaurants from Buenos Aires to Zurich” by Condé Nast magazine. “My focus is on bold, simple flavors, making food people love to eat”, says Chef King. From Jurys, Chef King took over as the head of one of the country’s greatest steakhouse legends Smith and Wollensky preparing traditional American fare where the steak is king.
Chef King now comes across the ocean to Castle Leslie with his wife Shauna and daughter Abby, to share with us his love of food, commitment to freshness, local produce and passion for flavor.
“I am excited to join Castle Leslie, and to lead the culinary team on a quest for gastronomic greatness and to share the unsurpassed joys of cooking, as well as the merriment of eating.”