Issue #19: Celebrity Chef Injects Infectious Energy Into Detroit
The Bear star Matty Matheson has joined forces with Standby, a famous cocktail bar
For anyone who’s watched the hit FX show “The Bear,” the goofy and affable handyman Neil surely captured their hearts.
Neil is played by Matty Matheson, a Canadian chef turned internet sensation. Matheson has nearly 2 million followers on Instagram and another 1.5 million on YouTube. He’s got some great interviews out there, including this one on Esquire in which he says he regrets his massive number of tattoos.
Matheson became a partner at Detroit’s illustrious cocktail bar Standby this summer. It is the chef’s first venture in the United States.
“I grew up in a border town, and I loved it,” Matheson said in a press release announcing the partnership. “I would go over to Buffalo to eat at old diners and hot dog stands or watch punk shows. I believe that Detroit and Buffalo share many similarities: both are quintessentially American, working-class cities renowned for their storied food culture. I have a lot of respect and admiration for cities like that, and I’m excited to add to the fold of what makes Detroit such an iconic city.”
While Matheson was not available for an interview this week, I was able to chat with Liz Debecco, general manager and beverage director at Standby. We chatted about Matheson’s infectious injection of joy, Standby’s stellar cocktail program and how to make the best Negroni you can for Negroni Week, September 16-22.
Matheson reinvigorates a cocktail bar’s menu
As Detroit emerged from its bankruptcy in the early 2010s and tried to repaint its reputation, bars and restaurants began to play a huge role.
One of those bars, Standby, opened in 2015 and quickly established itself as one of the best cocktail bars in the Midwest, if not the entire country. It’s a two-time James Beard Award-nominated cocktail bar with its penitent to combine innovative techniques with classic cocktails.
That cocktail program was backed by a solid kitchen, one that held up in the growing Detroit culinary scene.
But like the rest of the hospitality industry worldwide, COVID-19 shook everything up and put Standby on its heels. Coming out of the pandemic, General Manager Liz Debecco said staffing became a hurdle, and the focus on the cocktail program left the back-of-house struggling to get back up to speed.
So this year, Standby brought in Matty Matheson, a celebrated Canadian chef to help reestablish the kitchen.
“What Matty has brought to the table is he’s revitalized our food program by offering staple, craveable dishes done really well,” Debecco said. “He also compliments the vivacious energy we have at Standby. He has a huge following, and it’s been really amazing to get to entertain his fans as well as other food and beverage aficionados traveling from outside the area to Detroit.”
The menu, which debuted in July, includes coconut shrimp and jerk mayo, mortadella sliders, Alabama BBQ grilled wings, streak fries au poivre and a variety of taquitos.
While he had a sizable following, many were introduced to Matheson in the FX show “The Bear,” where he plays the gregarious handyman-turned-waiter Neil.
Matheson is more than just a chef dropping into the Detroit area; he helped bring a public skate park designed by Tony Hawk to the city’s Little Village neighborhood, along with Standby partner Anthony Curis.
And in what sounded incredibly sincere, Debecco said Matheson is exactly how he’s portrayed on television and on his own social media. She said his presence has ignited the staff and inspired the community.
“Sometimes when you meet a celebrity, you might feel intimidated or like you have to behave a certain way,” she said. “He very much gives off a presence to be yourself; he just comes off as one of the team members, just one of the goofy back-of-the-house cooks.
“He received the staff really well and was eager to meet everyone. He’s a goof and very infectious.”
While the new food menu is a highlight, nothing can compare to Standby’s ever-excellent cocktail program, led by Debecco. The key to being a successful and leading cocktail bar is not just looking at techniques and trends, but keeping in mind the past, present and future and pushing the team to try things they haven’t before.
Debecco said the staffing problems from the pandemic have actually helped inject new blood into the bar staff, with new hires not “jaded from 10 previous years in the industry.”
As for what’s hot now in Detroit?
“We’re still riding the train of some retrofitted cocktails from the 90s, like our Pornstar Martini riff,” she said. “It has D’ussé VSOP Cognac as its base, and people really seem to love that; the Memoirs of Casanova.
“But we’re also seeing a trend away from maximalist bartending, deducing drinks down, presented in a simplified manner but having an in-depth process.”
I don’t know, some of the cocktails pictured on Standby’s Instagram are making me want to take a drive today.
Literary Libations
Hi readers and drinkers! This is Alyssa dropping in to provide you a book and drink pairing because you know what I say — a good book deserves to be accompanied by a good drink!
If you haven’t heard of the Thursday Murder Club Mystery series, I am THRILLED to be the one to make an introduction. The tetralogy follows four folks in their golden years living in an English retirement community who investigate unsolved murder mysteries in their spare time. When I picked up the first book, I was frankly shocked to discover the murder mystery holds its weight in the story, as I was expecting a cutesy older folks story. I was even more shocked to learn how much I didn’t care about the murder, because the “cutesy” older folks were more than enough to hold my interest. The characters are laugh-out-loud funny and charming as can be. If you’re going to get sociological (as I tend to), the books are a powerful statement on anti-agism. I am on the third book in the series, so start at the beginning if you’re new to it.
Silver Bullet
1.5 oz gin
¾ oz scotch
Pour the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Mix well. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. Read and enjoy!
Standby takes on Negronis
Debecco took the time to break down some fun things about Negronis. She said her favorite Negroni variation is the Campari Swizzle. The drink was featured at Standby during Negroni Week last year.
“It takes the base component of a Campari Negroni but turns it into a tropical swizzle,” she said.
As for making Negroni’s at home, it can appear to be a very simple recipe, one part each of Campari, Gin and Sweet Vermouth. (Here’s a whole list of fun variations from Negroni Week.)
But Debecco said sometimes you just need a reminder you’re at home and can do whatever you want.
“Traditionally, it’s a three-parts equal cocktail, but the beauty of any cocktail at home is you can make it to your liking. Listen to your palate,” she said.
She also said her favorite gin right now is Lone Light Spirits from Ferndale, Michigan. It’s less juniper-forward and more citrusy, she said, which plays well in a Negroni.
Interesting reads of the week
Last week, I shared the profile of the 35-year-old taking over as Red Lobster CEO. Well, then I came across a NY Times article about how it got to its current state — more on the terrible curse of all-you-can-eat shrimp.
Alyssa and I went to Spain two years ago and experienced the amazing cocktail culture there firsthand. Here’s a little breakdown of the tippy-top bars. (Washington Post)
You know, I always say drink what you like. So this Punch article is a little annoying, particularly because I love Hemingway Daquiris and Negronis… but they share the “5 Most Overrated Cocktails.” At least they provide ways to spice up the drinks.
A few issues ago, there was a story about the Mount Rushmores of breweries, and now VinePair has unveiled a Mount Rushmore of red wine.