On the evening of Sept. 14, the Algonquin Commons Theatre was buzzing with the excitement of chef and Vice personality Matty Matheson’s upcoming talk. Hosted by Matheson’s close friend Wade MacNeil of Alexisonfire, the night was anticipated to be fun, fiery, and unpredictable.
Like old friends, Matheson and MacNeil greeted the audience with boisterous profanities. Early on they established that the show was going to be laid back, open, and sprinkled with f-bombs, which is exactly what you’d expect from one of Vice’s most recognizable hosts.
The pair began by reminiscing about their years together in the punk scene of Fort Erie, Ont. Matheson described it as a small town with not a lot to offer him.
“I wanted more,” he said. “I wanted music, I wanted people, I wanted art, I wanted culture.”
To escape the little town, he applied to Humber College in Toronto, where he would remain based for the majority of his career. He described his college experience as a turning point in his life, stating, “cooking school was good for my self esteem.”
Matheson then delved into his time working for two very different restaurants in Toronto: Le Sélect and La Palette.
“Le Sélect helped me see the foundations of restaurants,” Matheson said, “and La Palette helped me see the beauty of restaurants.”
His success really took off when Brian Richer and Kei Ng approached him about opening a restaurant called OddFellows. Matheson explained how he wanted it to be different than any of the restaurants he’d been in before.
“When it opened,” he said, “I wanted it to feel like that first time you felt something.”
Laughing, Matheson told a story about how on opening night, he was sent home because Richer and Ng found him doing drugs in the bathroom. MacNeil then switched over to the more serious topic about Matheson’s past substance abuse.
“The fun became unmanageable. I was stealing, I was lying, I was hurting people. I wasn’t afraid to die. I was void of emotion, I was a façade,” Matheson said. “Drugs changed who I was. I thought that [using drugs] was a vibe. I thought that was the epitome of cool. I flew too close to the sun.”
He credited the support of his friends and family, particularly his wife Trish, with helping him overcome his addiction.
“I hate how cliché this is, but she never gave up on me,” he said.
At the time, Matheson was filming “Hangover Cures” for Viceland, and he explained his concern about whether or not they would keep him.
“I always wanted to work for Vice,” he said. “I always wanted to be a part of that. They told me to get better, and I took off work for a few months, then I came back with ‘Keeping it Canada’. Now that’s revolutionary.”
So what’s next for Matheson? He revealed that next year he will be releasing a cookbook, is working on a new show for Viceland, and that he is also leaving his restaurant, Parts and Labour, to build his dream restaurant.
“Over the past nine years, I’ve opened other people’s restaurants with my ideas, but I’m going to be selfish. This is my restaurant,” he said.
Is his the story of smart business planning, or is it just luck?
“I don’t believe in luck. Anyone can do what they want to do,” Matheson said. “People are scared to do something for themselves. Find it within yourself to find the path of what you want to do with your life. Everyone has a story.”
Photo by Aaron Hemens
