Chef Matt Horn
Matt Horn is a leading authority on barbecue, drawing acclaim from barbecue aficionados and media across the nation with his own California-style. Horn grew up in Fresno, California, where he spent much of his free time honing his signature barbecue technique in his grandmother’s backyard, learning about the family’s Southern roots and teaching himself through a rigorous process of R&D. A self-driven entrepreneur, Matt got his start popping up wherever he had the opportunity to serve his barbecue – from breweries to wineries to churches and farmer’s markets, quickly becoming beloved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the process. In October 2020 he opened his first restaurant, Horn Barbecue, in Oakland, which drew instant acclaim from loyal fans and both local and national media. In 2021, Matt Horn was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in America, and Horn Barbecue was named one of Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurants in America and landed a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand designation. Matt is the founder of the Horn Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to food equity and social justice, which daily feeds people in need free lunches of barbecued brisket and other dishes. Spring 2022 will welcome the release of Horn’s first cookbook: Horn Barbecue: Recipes And Techniques From A Master of The Art of Barbecue. He lives with his family in the Oakland area.