The Terrace Grille has more to introduce than their updated space and new menu. Meet their new Executive Chef, Matt. Before joining the team at the Terrace, this Lakeland native worked extensively in the culinary field. His favorite new menu item is the Colorado Lamb Loin, and we have a feeling he has pretty good taste. Give Matt a warm welcome in the comments.
The Terrace Grille is excited to introduce you to our Executive Chef Matt!
He and his team have been working diligently to develop menus including the best ingredients, local offerings, and sourcing sustainable and humanely raised proteins. The Grille’s new menus focus on its quality ingredients with everything made fresh in the restaurant.
Matt was born and raised in Lakeland, FL where his passion for cooking started in the beginning; he was almost literally born into the kitchen! His Mother, a Chef and Restaurant Owner, went into labor during one of her dinner shifts. His earliest memory of cooking was in his Mother’s restaurant. He would watch their Sous Chef from Spain create chicken and veal stocks from scratch and fell in love with the art.
Matt has trained in several notable restaurants in Orlando, Alaska, and Colorado over his career. His experience varies from high-end restaurants to catering, a great fit to meet the demands of private events, such as weddings or business meetings, in addition to the Grille. His upbringing and experience shape his style of cooking. While working at The Little Nell, Aspen, CO’s only 5-star and -diamond resort, they grew their herbs in-house and minimized waste by utilizing every aspect of ingredients possible. Methods planned for the Terrace Grille in the future.
His favorite item on our new menu is the Colorado Lamb Loin, inspired by his work in Colorado. The lamb is sourced from a sustainable, quality vendor and certified Halal. Preparation includes sous vide the lamb, which infuses the garlic, shallot, butter, and herbs to get a delicious flavor. Chef sears the meat before serving to get a nice crisp on the edges and serves it with a red pepper couli. It’s currently his favorite thing to make and eat! He suggests pairing it with our Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 from Napa Valley.
Chef’s Kitchen culture is built on inclusivity, family, and trust. He loves to teach new techniques and bounce ideas off of the team. Together they experiment with evolving the Grille’s offerings constantly. No task is beneath or above anybody. The team is all here to work as a family to get the job done and serve delicious food to our guests.