Chef Matt Mytro

Let’s Chat with Chef Matt Mytro

Chef Matt Mytro

Take a moment and close your eyes. Beware, we are about to go back in time; high school to be exact. Does the smell of hairspray and sight of puffy shoulder pads make you cringe? Are you reminiscing about the four years of laughter and fun you had with your peers? What about the realization that life as a teenager might not have been as hectic as you once thought? Regardless of where your imagination took you, consistency is present. The consistency of change and transformation, and how this time impacted the person you might have become later on in life.

Matt Mytro, chef and partner of Flour in Cleveland, Ohio, credits his high school days as the “Once upon a time … ” of his culinary story. With two growing brothers to feed, he was charged with preparing and cooking most of their meals. It was then that Mytro’s fondness for food blossomed, leading to his decision to enroll in a culinary and home economics course at his high school. Years later, Chef Mytro is partnering with Chef Paul Minnillo to bring authentic Italian cuisine to Clevelanders.

As a brand ambassador for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, Matt Mytro has experienced the benefits of using premium ingredients. Brand Ambassadors are those who trust the Certified Angus Beef ® brand’s consistent quality, and want to share it with other chefs and individuals. Recently, we sat down with Chef Mytro for a quick culinary Q&A:

Q: Aside from your own, what’s your favorite restaurant?
A: Nico Osteria (Chicago, Ill.)

Q: What’s the hottest trend in food right now?
A: Smoking meat directly and using ash to add flavor during the smoking process.

Q: How would you describe your style of cooking?
A: Modern.

Q: If you could have any meal, what would it be?
A: Textbook barbeque brisket.

Q: Are there any chefs you try to emulate?
A: I try to follow my heart and be creative with my cooking.

Q: When you’re not in the kitchen, what are you doing with your free time?
A: Spending time with my family.

Q: The world’s foremost authority on food is?
A: The French.

Q: The one book that every chef should have in the library is?
A: On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee

Q: If you could have only four ingredients in your pantry, what would they be?
A: Salt, Sicilian chillies, butter and San Marzano tomatoes.

Q: What is the most expensive meal you have ever prepared?
A: It was a large catering that included carving stations, raw bars and pasta stations. It was huge!

Q: What is your favorite food/dish?
A: Barbeque or Crudo (raw fish)

 

Check out more of our chats with some of the world’s most impressive chefs!

Editor’s note: This post was written by Matt Shoup, Certified Angus Beef ® brand intern.