Matthew Kammerer is an American chef and the executive chef of the Harbor House Inn in Elk, California [1] where he has earned two Michelin stars and a Michelin Green Star. [2] In 2019, he was named a Food & Wine Best New Chef [3] , and a James Beard Award semi-finalist. [4]
Kammerer grew up in West Long Branch, on the New Jersey shore, where early experiences dining out with his family sparked an interest in food and restaurants. [5] He began working in kitchens as a teenager, starting as a dishwasher and later gaining basic culinary skills as a prep cook. [6] He enrolled at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, where he studied culinary arts. [7]
His early professional experience included positions in Boston and extended training stints in Australia, where he learned garden-to-plate practices. [3] He also worked in Michelin- kitchens RyuGin in Japan [8] and In de Wulf in Belgium, gaining experience in precise technique and seafood preparation. [9] Kammerer subsequently moved to San Francisco, where he worked for three years as Executive Sous Chef at Saison from 2015-2018, then a three-Michelin-star restaurant. [10]
Kammerer later sought a remote coastal location aligned with his interest in hyper-local, nature-centered cuisine. [11] After considering sites in the Pacific Northwest and California, he selected the Mendocino Coast and joined the Harbor House Inn in Elk, California. [12] The historic inn, originally built in 1916, reopened in 2018 with Kammerer serving as executive chef. [13]
Kammerer received one Michelin star in 2019 [14] and subsequently two Michelin stars beginning in 2021. [15] He has also been awarded a Michelin Green Star. [16] [17]
Kammerer has additionally appeared in media features and culinary programs, participating on the Apple TV documentary series Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars. [18]
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