Why I Cook: A Letter from Chef Matt.

I didn’t choose cooking because it was glamorous. I chose it because it was the only place where I felt like I belonged.

I was sixteen, not doing great in school, and I needed something real — something that didn’t judge you by grades or fake smiles. Kitchens don’t care about that. They care if you can take the heat, move fast, and show up every day. That’s where I learned work ethic, discipline, and pride — not from a classroom, but from 400° ovens and Friday-night chaos.

Years later, I tried to build something of my own — my first personal chef business. I put everything into it. But my first client scammed me. I lost money, time, and a piece of myself. That kind of thing sticks with you. It makes you question if you’re cut out for it.

So I stepped away. I got into real estate. Eight years of contracts, closings, and commissions. I learned business, negotiation, and how people really operate when money’s on the table. But as the market changed, so did the people. It went from serving clients to serving greed. And that’s when I knew — I didn’t belong there either.

I came back to cooking. Took a chef job. Hated it. Too many egos, too many shortcuts, not enough soul. So I bet on myself again — and this time, I built something I actually believe in: Chef Matts Culinary Creations L.L.C.

It’s not just food. It’s personal. Every meal I make — whether it’s a private dinner, meal prep, or class — comes from experience. The highs, the burnouts, the lessons. I know what it feels like to lose everything and rebuild from zero. So when I cook, I’m not just feeding people — I’m sharing the piece of myself that refused to quit.

Cooking gave me purpose when everything else lost meaning. It’s how I connect, how I express care, and how I keep my standards high in a world that’s constantly lowering them.

I cook because I have to. It’s who I am — and I’m just getting started.