Michael Matarazzo, CEC, is the Executive Chef of Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Va. Matarazzo is also the founder of Be Better Culinary Perspectives where he offers coaching services to businesses of all types within the hospitality industry as well as personal, leadership, and competition coaching.
Originally from Bellmore, N.Y, Matarazzo graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. in 2003. He then completed a three-year culinary apprenticeship at the world-renowned Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., under Certified Master Chef Peter Timmins. In 2006, Matarazzo was named Captain of the 2008 US Regional Culinary Olympic Team which became the first US Regional Team to win the World Championship in Erfurt, Germany, effectively defeating 62 teams from 32 nations.
After completing his apprenticeship at The Greenbrier, Matarazzo spent three years at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y., starting as Banquet Chef and finishing as Executive Sous Chef. In 2010, he became Executive Chef of The Bear Mountain Inn in Bear Mountain, N.Y. and was also named USA’s Chef of The Year by the American Culinary Federation. In 2011, he took second place overall representing the United States in The Global Chefs Challenge in Vancouver, BC. In that same year, Matarazzo became and remains the Advisor to The United States Military’s Culinary Olympic Team and has guided the team to win multiple gold medals on the international stage.
He is also a certified culinary competitions judge with the American Culinary Federation, a Certified Executive Chef and a member of the Club + Resort Chef advisory board.
Matarazzo recently created a group for professional chefs on Facebook called “Chefs for Change” with a mission to flip the script for a more positive and productive future for all culinarians. Every day he facilitates conversations to help unite chefs from all walks of the industry to discuss balance, stress management, anxiety, depression, formal culinary education, professional associations, gender equality, diversity, and leadership styles.
