A look inside bro-chef Matty Matheson’s kitchen (and his fridge)
How the executive chef of Parts and Labour, P&L Burger and Dog and Bear cooks at home
Matty Matheson spends about half of every month manning the kitchen at Parts and Labour, the rowdy restaurant on Queen West. The rest of the time, he’s on the road with Keep It Canada, his food-focused web series on Vice (in recent episodes, he’s caught fish with his bare hands in Newfoundland and baked whelk pie in the Quebec countryside). Home is a cramped Parkdale rental that he shares with his wife, Tricia Spencer, co-owner of the Ossington bridal shop LoversLand. There’s no counter space to speak of in their tiny kitchen—just enough for a dish rack—so a beat-up wood table functions as both prep space and dining area. “It’s not like I’m rolling out pastas or making cakes here,” says Matheson. When friends come for dinner, he and Spencer serve coq au vin or a huge pasta bake—dishes that can be made start to finish in a Le Creuset Dutch oven. They’re saving up for a down payment on a house, ideally one with more square footage. But for now, this place works. “It’s not about the size of the kitchen,” says Matheson. “If you have a table and stove, you can make great food.”
(Images: Derek Shapton)
