Matthew Thompson

Chief Culinary Officer at Restaura Hospitality

Speaker

Chef Matthew Thompson is a distinguished culinary professional and hospitality executive with over 25 years of experience in the industry. As the Chief Culinary Officer at Phoenix3 Holdings and Restaura Hospitality, he introduced progressive, sustainable, health-focused dining programs across senior living, healthcare, and corporate markets.

With a strong background in the local & responsibly sourced food movement, he is an advocate for plant-based menus. Chef Thompson was the co-founder and Chief Culinary Officer for Harvest Table Culinary Group, a dedicated team of chefs, wellness managers, and food enthusiasts who create a campus dining experience. Every meal tells a story, and every student leaves satisfied. Harvest Table is passionate about bringing chef-driven, sustainable, and wellness-focused experiences to students and universities. The team is empowered with the culinary freedom and agility of a boutique company to be responsive to student needs and truly impact their campus and local communities. Chef Thompson has brought progressive, sustainable, health-based dining to higher education partner sites for more than twenty-five years.

Chef Thompson’s culinary journey is marked by a commitment to innovation and excellence. He holds an MBA from Johnson & Wales University and has completed Levels II and III of the Culinary Institute of America’s ProChef certification program. His expertise is further recognized by the American Culinary Federation, which has certified him as both an Executive Chef and a Certified Culinary Administrator. Chef Thompson studied Lifestyle Medicine at the Harvard Medical School under Dr. Beth Frates and Dr. Walter Willet. As a certified lifestyle medicine coach, Chef Thompson is passionate about promoting health education and lifestyle coaching.

A passionate advocate for responsibly sourced, plant-based ingredients, Chef Thompson emphasizes wellness and environmental sustainability in his culinary creations. His dedication to sustainable dining was honored in April 2016 when he received the Sustainable Pioneer Award from Long Island University for his efforts in promoting a culture of sustainability at their Post Campus.

Beyond his executive role, Chef Thompson is an active contributor to the culinary community. He has presented at prominent industry conferences, including the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the Culinary Institute of America’s Menus of Change, and the Global Plant-Forward Culinary Summits. Most recently, Chef Thompson spoke at The Global Vegan Hospitality Conference Chef Thompson is a member of the sixth cohort of the Food Solutions New England Network Leadership Institute (FSNE NLI), a diverse cohort of values-motivated food system leaders demonstrating deep engagement with and commitment to the New England food system. The NLI is an immersive, experiential program that maximizes learning and growth, reflection and connection, and inspiration and renewal. The Institute is rooted in the values of the FSNE network, including democratic empowerment, racial equity, and dignity for all, sustainability, and trust.

Chef Thompson is a Network Advisory Council member with Farm to Institution New England (FINE), the backbone of a six-state network of nonprofit, public, and private entities working to mobilize the power of regional institutions to transform our food system. FINE serves a network of non-profit organizations, government agencies, institutions, foundations, farms, food distributors, food processors, food service operators, and others. He was chosen based on his experience in various institutional sectors and vast skills and expertise in food systems research, policy, and program implementation.

Chef Matthew Thompson continues to elevate dining experiences and contribute significantly to advancing the culinary arts through his leadership, culinary expertise, and advocacy for sustainable practices.