Chef
Matt Griffin
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- New York City, New York, United States
i. Biography
The Honours
The title attached to Matt Griffin is Executive Chef at Simon & The Whale in New York City, and it names the work plainly: Modern American cooking shaped through recognizable dishes that are pushed into less expected form. At the restaurant, that shows up in plates such as fusilli with pig-head ragù, pork Milanese made from collar, and whole fish for two flavored with Madras curry.
The Craft
Modern American cooking, as Matt Griffin uses it at Simon & The Whale, depends on structure. The menu starts with forms a cook and diner both recognize — pasta, Milanese, whole fish — and then changes the terms through cut, sauce, and seasoning. That approach is clearest in the way familiar dishes are recast. Pig-head ragù shifts fusilli toward a denser expression of meat cookery; collar changes the character of pork Milanese; Madras curry moves the whole fish for two into a different flavor register. The work is not about obscuring the original dish, but about keeping the frame legible while altering what it delivers. For Griffin, the point of Modern American cooking is practical rather than abstract. The menu does not rely on novelty for its own sake. It uses familiar preparations as a base, then adjusts them enough to make the details carry the identity of the plate.
The Career
Griffin is a native of Bloomfield, Connecticut. His culinary education includes the Mami Camilla Mediterranean and Neapolitan Culinary Arts Program, a training background that sits alongside the Modern American work he now leads in New York City. Before Simon & The Whale, he served as Executive Chef at bar Sardine and Executive Chef at Fedora. Those roles belong to the earlier part of his New York career and preceded his current title. He also held leadership roles as Executive Chef/partner at Freehand Hotel in Gramercy, New York City, and as Executive Chef and partner at Jeffrey’s Grocery in New York City. Those positions place him not only in kitchens, but also in partnership roles tied to restaurant operations.
Signature
Matt's signature dishes include fusilli pasta spooned with pig-head ragù, pork Milanese, and whole fish for two.
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of Matt
What is Matt Griffin's current role?
As of 2026, Matt Griffin is Executive Chef.
What is Matt Griffin known for?
Modern American menu.
