Matty Matheson has a new finger-lickin’-good collab with KFC
He’s going full Colonel Sanders
For a while now, Matty Matheson has been taking fashion inspo from Colonel Sanders. Now he’s taking his finger lickin’ to the next level with a KFC Canada x Matty Matheson collaboration.
The limited-time offer adds three signature items to KFC’s existing lineup of deep-fried delights. There’s the Matty Melt Sandwich (fried chicken, cheese sauce, caramelized onions and mayo on a sesame bun), Matty Melt Sliders (the same but smaller), the Matty Mega Melt Poutine (a regular poutine with caramelized onions and popcorn chicken bites), and the Matty Mega Feast (all that and a bucket of chicken).
Related: Matty Matheson’s Bar Clams has permanently closed
The food comes in customized packaging designed by Toronto tattoo artist Alex Snelgrove, who has done some of Matheson’s ink. (It may be an attempt to bring some aesthetic appeal to dishes that aren’t otherwise overwhelmingly pleasing to the eye.) There’s also a weekly secret menu item that will be revealed exclusively on KFC’s app. Well played, corporate poultry overlords.
For KFC, the partnership injects a somewhat tired brand with hipster credibility and social media relevance. For Matheson, it presumably comes with a big fat paycheque and offers a useful deflection from other recent headlines (e.g., the recent closures of two of Matheson’s Toronto restaurants—RIP, Bar Clams and Cà Phê Rang).
But don’t cry for Matty: over the last month or so, he’s opened a new steakhouse in Hamilton; had Netflix pick up all three seasons of his cooking show, Just a Dash; swanned around at the Golden Globes; and started filming The Bear’s fifth season in Chicago.
Related: What’s on the menu at Matty Matheson’s massive new Hamilton restaurant
Matheson will take a break from filming next week, when he’ll appear at KFC’s Dundas West flagship to meet fans. Get in line, freaks!
Courtney Shea is a freelance journalist in Toronto. She started her career as an intern at Toronto Life and continues to contribute frequently to the publication, including her 2022 National Magazine Award–winning feature, “The Death Cheaters,” her regular Q&As and her recent investigation into whether Taylor Swift hung out at a Toronto dive bar (she did not). Courtney was a producer and writer on the 2022 documentary The Talented Mr. Rosenberg, based on her 2014 Toronto Life magazine feature “The Yorkville Swindler.”
