We’re looking forward to introducing you to Chef Matty Mcfleen. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Chef Matty, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Been enjoying my time with my guitar and song writing it’s another way to express myself and I love it just as much as cooking
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Chef Matty McFleen. I specialize in high end Restaurant quality food for private events and parties. We offer Chef services for small dinners, large Celebra-tions, Corporate Events, you name it we Cook for it! I wanted to connect with people I was feeding in the Restaurant business on a more personal/intimate level! Thats when I decided I wanted to be a Private Chef. The atmosphere of cook-ing for a private party with Menus and meals I designed and cooked myself versus cooking the same thing everyday for people I never got to see working in a Restaurant! Theres something special about being invited into someones private home cooking for them from scratched with just the idea of what sounds good to them at that time! Cooking is art you get to taste…doesn’t get better than that! I work with each of my clients to build a custom menu that is built to the theme of the event or the taste of your palette. I do all the shopping, all the prepping, the presentation and the best part all the cleaning. Get all the perks of cooking from home, at home, with a Restaurant style taste but zero work, zero hassle and zero clean up.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
That I am indestructible lol I remember things.not hurting so much and beating up my body more and it not being so sore!! Chef life is tough work
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering and hardship in a chef’s life—when things go wrong, run long shifts, or faces shortages—teach lessons that success alone often can’t. Here are some key ones and how they apply in the kitchen:
Resilience and grit
You learn to keep going after a tough service, a broken sauce, or a failing station. This builds stamina and the mindset that you can handle the next crisis.
Humility and continuous learning
Mistakes remind you that you don’t know it all. Suffering pushes you to listen to teammates, taste critically, and seek feedback rather than doubling down on ego.
Problem-solving under pressure
When the clock is ticking and a dish goes wrong, you develop faster, calmer decision-making and creative improvisation (using what you have, on the spot).
Empathy for guests and staff
Hard days reveal how your food affects others. This translates into more careful seasoning, clearer communication, and healthier, more supportive leadership.
Boundaries and self-care
Repeated strain teaches you to set limits, recognize burnout signs, and implement routines that protect your health, which ultimately sustains your craft.
Frugality and resourcefulness
Suffering (shortages, budget cuts, overbooked services) teaches you how to maximize flavor with limited ingredients, manage waste, and plan more efficiently.
Discipline and consistency
Hard times force you to stick to standards even when energy is low, which over time translates into reliable, repeatable results.
Patience and time management
Some problems require waiting for a simmer, a rest, or a fermentation. Suffering teaches you to value time and not rush critical steps.
Integrity and ethics
When things go wrong, you learn to own mistakes, communicate honestly with your team and guests, and uphold standards rather than cut corners.
Perspective and gratitude
Difficulties can make success feel sweeter and keep you grounded, helping you savor small wins and stay grateful for opportunities.
How to translate these lessons into practice
Debrief after tough services: what went wrong, what slowed you down, what you’ll do differently next time.
Journal your challenges and your responses to them to see patterns and growth over time.
Build a “command center” routine for busy nights: checklists, pre-service briefings, and a quick signals system with your team to prevent chaos.
Develop a personal self-care plan: sleep, nutrition, breaks, and mental health practices to prevent burnout.
Seek mentors who have endured tough times and can offer practical wisdom for handling pressure and maintaining integrity.
Practice humility through tasting sessions, recipe critiques, and being open to revising your approach even after initial success.
Note: suffering can be a powerful teacher, but it’s not deliberately glamorous. The goal is to extract constructive lessons, not to glorify hardship. If you’re currently in a tough spot, what’s one concrete change you can make this week to move from surviving to steadily improving?
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
Here are a few beliefs I might hold that can’t be proven in private life, but feel true in the life of a private chef.
Great cooking hinges on intangible resonance with a guest’s memory and mood, not just the dish itself.
Consistency comes from ritual and tempo in the kitchen, even when recipes are precise.
A truly personalized menu is as much about listening, timing, and presence as it is about ingredients.
The best flavors linger because of balance and restraint, not maximal tweaking.
The right plate can change a mood as effectively as a good conversation.
Client satisfaction is real, but the reasons why they loved a meal are often unknowable.
Creativity thrives more in constraints time, space,and budget than in unlimited freedom.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing?
If I don’t do it I will regret not traveling the world leer ing cuisines family recipes from each culture! I’ve always wanted to travel and learn from other chefs in the world
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.chefmattymcfleen.com
- Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/chefmattymcfleen
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/crafted-kravings-la-quinta?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
Image Credits
Chef mattymcfleen
