Personalities

Matthew Accarrino

Matthew's Links:

Executive Chef - SPQR

MATTHEW ACCARRINO EXECUTIVE CHEF

When Executive Chef Matthew Accarrino of SPQR recalls what attracted him to the hospitality industry, he says, “It gave me the chance to tell my story with food.” Accarrino’s family heritage leads back to the wind swept hills and coast of Puglia, Italy. Visits with his extended family and stints spent cooking there at an early age instilled a deep appreciation for quality, seasonal, handmade products and ingredients. Learning to make pasta, polenta, and risotto in Italy also influenced his distinctive approach in the kitchen. “It impressed on me the importance of starch as its own course in that cuisine, which is in a sense, where much of my inspiration comes from.”

Born in the Midwest and raised in New Jersey, Accarrino began his culinary journey in high school working his way up from dishwasher to cook in small local restaurants. With the desire to receive formal training, Accarrino enrolled in The Culinary Institute of America, where in 1998, he received his Associate Degree in Culinary Arts. While earning his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management at Fairleigh Dickinson University, he joined the team as a cook at the nearby AAA Five Diamond-rated Hilton at Short Hills.

Upon completion of his formal education, Accarrino set his sights on nearby New York City. He began working for Charlie Palmer of Aureole and was then hired by Todd English to work as a sous chef at Olives in The W Union Square. In 2002, after working with Rick Moonen at his seafood restaurant Oceana, Accarrino was asked to assist Chef Moonen in the opening of his first solo project, Restaurant RM. The restaurant received three stars from the New York Times, who commended the kitchen under Accarrino’s co-direction for its innovative execution of flavor combinations and meticulous attention to detail. While working at Restaurant RM, Accarrino was also invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard House.

After spending extended time staging in Italy, Accarrino returned to New York where in 2004, he joined the opening team at Thomas Keller’s Per Se as a sous chef. The restaurant would go on to earn three Michelin stars and a coveted 4-star rating from the New York Times. Alongside Thomas Keller and other skilled chefs, Accarrino continued to evolve his technique, focusing on honing an exceptional level of execution and operation. In early 2006, Chef Tom Colicchio approached Accarrino to assist with operating three of his restaurants in New York - Craft, Craftbar and Craftsteak. He was subsequently asked to move to California to open Craft and Craftbar in Los Angeles. Seeking to more fully develop his own personal cuisine and set out on his own path, Accarrino moved to Northern California and joined the intimate restaurant SPQR as Executive Chef in late 2009. Since his arrival, Accarrino has been named a Star Chefs “2010 Rising Star” for his “innovative vision, finesse, and deeply satisfying cuisine,” and in 2011 he took top honors at San Francisco’s Cochon 555 competition. Accarrino was nominated by the James Beard Foundation as a semi-finalist for “Best Chef: Pacific” in 2012. As his reputation as a chef continues to grow, Accarrino reflects, “The story I try to tell is a combination of the way I employ my Italian heritage and the modern perspective I gained by working for some of Americas greatest chefs. I am constantly challenging myself to define what ‘fine dining’ and ‘cuisine’ mean to me. My goal is to evolve my own technique and vision, leading myself forward. Constant evolution is one of the hallmarks of what I strive for.” Accarrino lives in San Francisco, California.