M
att Cooper believes in bringing people together, and his method is one steeped in tradition — food. Growing up, his family never ate out, unless they were on vacation. He found himself drawn to the welcoming atmosphere of the dinner table as they gathered to discuss their day. Even the process of seeing vegetables go from seed to the plate resonated with him on a deeper level, and that connection stayed with him.
THE ROAD TO CHEFDOM The Arkansas native comes from three generations of Methodist ministers on his father’s side, but he found himself drawn to the pursuits of his maternal lineage. “My mother’s side of the family were all food technologists,” he said. “My grandfather helped start the food technology program at the University of Arkansas. My mother did it at Riceland and my uncle did it at Mars and other companies. Food science has always been a big part of that half of my family.” Initially, the culinary bug didn’t bite. In college, he majored in biology while working at restaurants to make ends meet. Little did he realize that learning about chemistry and biology was giving him a different kind of education. After marrying his wife, Priscilla, and becoming a father, he decided to relocate to Portland, Ore., and take the plunge to become a chef with her encouragement. Having cooked on his own for 13 years and studied science in college, Cooper became a quick study at the Western Culinary Institute of the Le Cordon Bleu College of the Arts. He worked at restaurants that served a variety of food such as German at Gustav’s, French at Everett Street Bistro in the Pearl District and Italian at Aquariva. It wasn’t just the types of food that were important, but the way they were made. Xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xx.
SUSTAINABLE COOKING Much like his boyhood days working in his grandfather’s garden, Cooper found himself exploring the origins of what he cooked. He knew the fishermen and the farmers, and sometimes he even planted seeds himself. The farm-totable movement has since gone nationwide, but at the time, Portland was at the forefront, which gave the burgeoning chef an unofficial doctorate in sustainability. “When I was there, we would come to work and sometimes go to the farm and literally handpick what we wanted – it’s amazing. The allure of the entire process is that you know where the food is coming from and you know what you’re doing,” he said.
RETURNING TO THE NATURAL STATE After graduating, Cooper found himself restless and decided he needed to return to his roots. “In Portland, I was one of many chefs doing the local, organic, sustainable movement so I couldn’t really make a difference,” he said. “We decided to move back [to Arkansas] so my wife could finish her master’s degree, and I could also
(This page starting from the top) The restaurant is housed in one of the oldest churches in Bentonville. Brussels salad with Gorgonzola mousse, marcona almond, and pomegranate honey
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