Delicious and innovative cookbook. Matty shares his life experiences with a mix of culinary encounters. A very creative perspective to introduce the recipes and to share the passion of gastronomic world.

#MattyMatheson #NetGalley

Unlike a lot of cookbooks this also has a biography included. You not only get a ton of wonderful recipes you also get to know the cook Matty Matheson, and as a bonus a lot of wonderful photographs. The photos are not just of the wonderful food but there also also personal pictures and pictures of Prince Edward Island.

Both the story and the recipes are great. The recipes go from simple no brainers to fancy restaurant style fare. This is one cookbook you will be doing more then looking through the index to find out whats for dinner.

I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com and chose to leave this review.

I enjoyed this cookbook. The recipes were ones I would actually make and not hard to follow. I have several lined up to make now.

I really liked this book! It had a great mix of family history, canadian culture, and excellent recipes. I think this is a great addition to any chef library!

Matty Matheson is part post-Bourdainian millennial cook (tattooed, casually clothed and foul-mouthed), part child (cue singsongs and quirky kitchen decor) and, obviously, part bad-ass in the kitchen.

In a YouTube clip put out by Bon Appetit that has amassed almost 2.5 million views, Matheson sits in a blue velvet armchair, bowl of popcorn in hand with an L.L. Bean hat and reviews other food related videos like Gordon Ramsay’s pork belly how-to; a guy making a tiny sandwich and some kind of pizza dip. Elsewhere, you can find him making Lemon Meringue Pie on a series called Munchies wearing a long-sleeved shirt and hat emblazoned with the word “FUCT”; making Beef Bolognese from his VICELAND series: It’s Suppertime! and making the “world’s best cheeseburger” on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Simply, you either love or hate Matty Matheson. There is no in-between.

In his first cookbook, the aptly named: Matty Matheson: A Cookbook, Matheson graces the cover, sitting at the head of a table filled with a feast of dishes including shrimp cocktail, fried onion rings, and a classic steak, baked potato and a bottle of Coca-Cola, among other things. If there is one thing Matheson doesn’t joke about, it’s food – or at least, the quality of the food. Like him or not, the guy can cook and what’s great about his cookbook is: there’s a lot to like.

It’s divided into two parts, the first comprising stories and recipes he gained through his family – from Prince Edward Island, to New Brunswick and Toronto – he introduces not only his influences (his family) but also an inane collection of coastal classics both meaningful and popular. We’re talking lobster rolls (“If you ever order a lobster roll and it comes as a lobster salad on a bun, throw that shit in the garbage and never go back to that place!”), Grilled Beef Tongue (“the trick in this version is to peel the tongue while it’s hot and place it back into the strained braising liquid to chill overnight”), Fried Clams, Lobster Pie, Mussel Stew, and Gumbo, and that’s just the beginning.

The second part covers Matheson’s more formal training including three years at Humber College (he dropped out 3 weeks prior to graduation to tour Canada with his best friend’s band), an unlikely beginning at Le Sélect Bistro and places where he made a name for himself, Oddfellows and Parts & Labour. Here, Matheson waxes delicious on French Onion Soup with the kind of advice you want from a chef (“don’t buy cheap cheese”), Roasted Chicken with Whelk and Mushroom Beurre Blanc (“this is the chicken to end all chickens”), Blanquette Ris de Veau (that serves “4 skinny French people”) and a Pot-au-Feu that one might melt into.

The recipes and accompanying food photography by Quentin Bacon and Pat O’Rourke make for an incredible cookbook on their own, but the real heart of this book is the story of Matty Matheson himself. Matheson’s history, included with recipes recount his upbringing on Prince Edward Island (for those in the know, P.E.I.) with his family including his grandfather, Grampy, who was clearly a major influence. “A true man of nature: never living in excess, never taking more than needed, always leaving some for the next person or animal to find and enjoy.” It’s more than just an influence; it’s the true illustration of people who left a profound mark on Matheson that shaped his life no matter how differently they may have lead their lives. One doesn’t find that often, especially in cookbooks.

While this cookbook finally puts in print what many have known for years, that Matty Matheson is a great chef, it’s hard to imagine most of these recipes being especially accessible to the average home cook. If you don’t live near a coast, obtaining six lobsters for the Lobster Pie requires a fair amount of planning; four pounds of quahogs for the P.E.I. Seafood and Steaks, also a little out of the way. A few of the specific ingredients however, like the Crosby’s Fancy molasses recommended for the Molasses Bread Pudding, are merely an internet search away.

Furthermore, while there are takes on modern classics like Nashville Hot Chicken, Buffalo Sweetbread Sliders, and the cheeseburger, this book is a little aspirational for Matheson’s fan base. For being a self-professed chicken finger sub kind of guy, fans might expect less of a grocery list of ingredients and more ways to take casual faire to a new taste level. That said, the recipes themselves are not hard to follow and Matheson’s anecdotes and advice could make the difference between a dish one might never think of attempting and one that sets a new bar.

Thank you ABRAMS for an e-galley of Matty Matheson for review. I liked this cookbook’s format. Part autobiography, part cookbook, and lovely pictures. It was formatted to go from his family recipes to the fancier restaurant ones too which I loved. Each grouping really represented a time and space in his life. Some were rustic and down home and some were fancy and from upscale restaurants. A great mix and interspersed with interesting details from his life. Publishes October 9/18

The recipes were largely not my cup of tea and as a cookbook, it often wandered into the autobiography category. If you don’t know who this person is, learning about his entire extended family might be a drag, but if you’re already a huge fan, this is the kind of detail for you. A solid, thorough effort.

I received an ebook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review!

OK so right of the bat I'm going to tell you I will never make half of the recipes in this book. Pig face, snails on toast, seared fois gras... no. That being said, there are a bunch of other recipes, with great pictures that are worth checking out. Even some that I might not make have useful cooking technique recommendations and flavour combinations that one may not necessarily consider. I also liked the autobiography-in-a-cookbook angle. I've read some that have had an autobiographical aspect, but this book has a great storyteller and chef behind it, with lots of neat family recipes added.

Although not all the recipes are do-able for the home cook, there is plenty in this book that makes it worth a look

My review has been posted to my blog & Goodreads.

Review has also been tweeted as usual.

Thank you! :c)