i. Biography
Since 2021, the work at Mastard in Montréal has been led by Simon Mathys, with local ingredients and a hyper-local focus setting the terms of the kitchen. The style is direct and disciplined, with little interest in ornament for its own sake. As Mathys puts it: “We really try to stay true to what we do.”
The Path
Simon Mathys began his career as chef at Micro Resto La Famille in Montréal, QC, Canada (2014), a first professional step that placed him early in the city’s restaurant rhythm. He then moved on to become head chef at Manitoba in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (until 2020), a period that marked the deepening of his voice and the steady shaping of his approach. Today, he is owner and head chef of Mastard (since 2021), where that sensibility has become the center of his current work.
The Work Today
Since 2021, the kitchen at Mastard in Montréal has been defined by Simon Mathys’s use of local ingredients and a hyper-local focus. The restaurant’s work stays close to its sources, with the emphasis kept on what is immediate and available. Precision and restraint carry the line here, and the cooking avoids flourish in favor of clarity. The ingredients are given room to speak, and the kitchen’s ethic is visible in that choice.
Signature
Local ingredients define Simon Mathys’s work, giving the cooking its structure and direction. At Mastard, that emphasis on proximity shapes a kitchen that is measured and grounded, with the handling of the product kept plainspoken and exact. The result is an approach that stays deliberately unsentimental.
Acclaim
The clearest markers of recognition in Simon Mathys’s record sit with Manitoba and Mastard. Manitoba runs through until 2020, and Mastard follows from 2021 to the present. Together, those dates trace the current span of his work: a significant period at Manitoba, then the ongoing chapter at Mastard, where he is owner and head chef.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Simon
Where did Simon Mathys work before?
Simon Mathys's earlier career included Micro Resto La Famille and Manitoba.
What is Simon Mathys known for?
local ingredients.
