This cookbook is not about farms, gardens, sustainable seafood, or how much cocaine he used to do after dinner service every night. It’s about Matty’s memories of the foods that has defined who he is. With a drive to share his zest for life, he creates dishes within these pages that reinterpret the flavors of his youth in Canada as well as the restaurant fare for which he has become so well-known. Interpretations of classics like Scumbo: Canadian Gumbo, Grampa’s Seafood Chowder, and Rappie Pie appear alongside restaurant recipes like Buffalo Sweetbread Sliders, Pigtail Tacos, and his infamous P&L Burger.

This is a very personal cookbook, full of essays and headnotes that share Matty’s life-from growing up in Fort Erie, exploring the wonders of Prince Edward Island, struggling as a young chef in Toronto, and, eventually, his rise to popularity as one of the world’s most recognizable food personalities. Matty Matheson: A Cookbook is a new collection of recipes from one of today’s most beloved chefs.