Chef
Matt Hyland
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- New York City, New York, United States
i. Biography
Since 2014, Matt Hyland has been Chef/Owner of EMILY in Brooklyn, New York, a role built around pizza and burgers, and around comfort food treated with precision rather than nostalgia. EMILY is an American pizza place that is an homage to the two places Matt grew up – the two pizza capitals of the world – New York and Connecticut. That dual inheritance sets the terms: familiar formats, tightened by detail, discipline, and a working respect for the classics.
The Climb
Training at Institute of Culinary Education gave Matt Hyland the technical base that later showed up in the way he built concepts with a point of view. From there, a defining role as founder at Violet in Brooklyn from 2019 marked the shift from kitchen literacy to authorship. Today, Matt is chef/co-owner of EMILY Pizza, Emmy Squared (since 2014) and chef/co-owner of Si Baby-Q, Zoe Tong. Across those names, the work moves from training into a clear, repeatable practice: concept-led, rooted in approachability, and still attentive to the details that make a dish land.
Today
Matt Hyland’s restaurants show a chef working in motion, with formats that aim to feel direct in the room and exact on the plate. The common thread is not novelty for its own sake, but a durable grasp of what guests return for: pizza, burgers, and the kind of kitchen energy that keeps a dining room moving. EMILY, Emmy Squared, Si Baby-Q, Zoe Tong, and the work connecting them point to range without losing the throughline.
Signature
Matt's signature dishes include Emmy Burger, Colony² Pizza, The Emily, and Le Big Matt. The list shows a consistent command of dishes that are easy to read and hard to reduce: familiar formats with enough definition to carry a point of view. The names are direct, the intent is clear, and the execution is built to be remembered for the right reasons.
Recognition
Matt's honors include StarChefs Rising Star Concept Chefs. The recognition fits a body of work that has emphasized concept, identity, and consistency alongside the familiar appeal of the food itself. It reads as acknowledgment of a chef who builds with intention and keeps the work legible to the people eating it.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Matt
What is Matt Hyland's current role?
As of 2026, Matt Hyland is Chef/Owner.
Where did Matt Hyland train or study?
Matt Hyland trained at Institute of Culinary Education.
What recognition has Matt Hyland received?
StarChefs Rising Star Concept Chefs (2017).
