Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Scheele.
Hi Matthew, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
When very young, I started cooking for enjoyment. The combination of both rules and an opportunity to be creative appealed to me. Then, at fifteen, I spent a summer in Paris and was able to attend the Ritz-Escoffier culinary school. At the time, I was the youngest person to attend classes there. Upon returning to the U.S., family friends knew the owners of a newly opened small restaurant that was struggling to establish their pastry program. The owner was delighted to hire someone who trained in France and would work for very little money — and I was thrilled to get experience working in a fine dining restaurant. I left that first job to get my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, with an emphasis on Art Metals.
While studying at UW, I worked part-time in a number of local kitchens, finally landing at a wonderful Madison institution, L’Etoile, under chef Odessa Piper. I was considering careers in either cooking or art, but Odessa’s mentoring helped me decide to carve out a culinary career for myself. After a couple of years in her kitchen full time, I decided to move closer to my family in Orange County and work at a restaurant called Aubergine. That was followed by time in the kitchens of Trouquet, the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, and Patina. That last job brought me into Los Angeles.
While at Patina, the opportunity arose to moonlight as a personal chef for a wonderful family in Holmby Hills on my days off. Right from the start, this new venue for cooking was a great fit. Spending my days off working in a beautiful home for appreciative clients who just wanted delicious food for their family was a true pleasure. It wasn’t long until I made the switch to working as a private chef full time. This has been my work for the past 20 years and I feel lucky to be working in a creative profession that I’m passionate about.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s never difficult to find work in restaurant kitchens. Staff turns over frequently and in a city like Los Angeles, it’s easy to find a great kitchen to work in. Working in restaurant kitchens, however, is poorly paid for physically demanding work and long hours. If someone who is considering a culinary career asks me about entering the profession, I always say that if you can be happy doing something else you shouldn’t become a chef. It’s a tough field.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The best part of being a chef is there is always more to learn. There are always new cuisines, ingredients, and techniques to explore. You can spend your entire lifetime cooking and there will always be new things to discover. Doing a deep dive into any subject can be incredibly rewarding. When I was working at L’Etoile, seasonal cooking or the farm to table cooking movement was just beginning and it is still my preference. I even began growing some of my own produce, first at a community garden in Costa Mesa and, for many years now, at Ocean View Farms in Santa Monica. It’s an incredible way to stay connected with the seasons and fully appreciate the ingredients you’re working with. Regularly shopping at the farmer’s market is also rewarding. The Sunday Farmers Market in Hollywood is wonderful and just ten minutes from my home.
What makes you happy?
I love my work and I’m always happy to be cooking something new in the kitchen. I’m happy in the garden and, year-round, there is always something growing in a California. I love contemporary art. The energy and creativity in the Los Angeles art world is really exciting. I had collected art for years, but it’s only since moving to Los Angeles that I’ve really become a passionate collector. I served on the board of FOCA for several years and have been a member of the Fowler Museums Contemporary Council. My interest in contemporary art was fostered by my parents and my education — and I feel it’s very connected to my culinary profession. As with cooking, there is always more to learn.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @matt5274
