Tastemaker No. 3

now ’til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers — Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you’ll know; for others, it’ll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you’re here, check out our 100 Creatives on Jackalope Ranch.

Today: A guy with a big breakfast — and a big heart.

See also:
–Tastemaker 2012 Archives

Tastemaker 3: Matt Pool

Matt Pool (pictured above with son Christopher and wife Ernie) got his start in the restaurant business as a 14-year-old Brophy Prep student, working almost 40 hours per week as a busboy at the French Corner in Uptown Plaza (which ironically enough is now a Good Egg!). He absolutely loved working there and was quickly hooked – he’s worked in the industry ever since, from delivering pizza and working his way through ASU as a room server at the Phoenix Airport Hilton to bartending…you name it, he’s done it. He opened Matt’s Big Breakfast in 2004 with his wife Erenia and son Christopher on a quiet street corner, in what was then a much different downtown, and now also operate Giant Coffee just up the street at 1st Street and McDowell.

I arrived in Phoenix with…. my four brothers and sisters and parents and 19 boxes of our personal belongings on a Greyhound bus from Flagstaff after taking Amtrak from our hometown of Kansas City, Missouri.

If I was sitting down to dinner for six, my five dream dining companions would be… Dave Grohl, Jack Dorsey, Alice Waters, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, my late father Terry Pool (who loved sitting at diner counters).

One place everyone who comes to Phoenix must eat is… without a doubt Pizzeria Bianco. Chris Bianco’s uncompromising commitment to stellar ingredients and food integrity is unmatched (and really is worth the wait).

One menu item this city could do without is… inexpensive truffle oil on anything.

My last meal in Phoenix would be… with my wife Erenia and son Christopher at Elements at the Sanctuary. We don’t get a ton of time off for extended vacations and so Sanctuary is our go to spot for quick 2 or 3 day “stay-cations.” Even though it’s only 15 minutes away from our house, we’re able to relax and spend time together and enjoy Arizona like tourists. We love Chef Beau Macmillan’s unique blending of American and Asian flavors and his focus on great seasonal ingredients – no matter what time of day, the food and service is always top-notch at Elements.

The Tastemakers so far:

100: Tracy Dempsey
99: Craig DeMarco
98: Lara Mulchay
97: M.J. Coe
96: Betty Alatorre de Hong
95: Eric Schaefer
94: Hanna Gabrielsson
93: Shinji Kurita
92: Silvana Salcido Esparza
91: Mike Pitt
90: Christina Barrueta
89: Christopher Gross
88: Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung
87: DJ Fernandes
86: Cullen Campbell
85: Chris Lee
84. Gwen Ashley Walters
83: Tony Morales
82: Lylah Ledner
81: Andrea White
80: Lori Hashimoto
79. Mrs. White
78: Eugenia Theodosopolous
77: Lou & Lovey Borenstein
76: Anthony Patafio
75: Carl Seacat
74: Sacha Levine
73: Sharon Salomon
72: Johnny Chu
71: Susie Timm
70: Jason Silberschlag
69: Gina Miller
68: Cindy Gentry
67: Amy Binkley
66: Dave Anderson
65: Mark Tarbell
64: Marianne Belardi
63: Audrey Lasalle
62: Brandon Gauthier
61: Brad and Kat Moore
60: Denise Clayton
59: Nobuo Fukuda
58: Richie Moe
57: Robin Trick
56: Alberto Della Casa and Letizia de Lucia
55: Farah Khalid
54: Dave Andrea
53: Vincent Guerithault
52: Danielle Leoni
51: Stan Zawatski
50: Maya Dailey
49: Duc Liao
48: Lisa Reinhardt
47: Isam Saed
46: Greg Peterson
45: Marco Bianco
44: Mark Fratu
43: Wendell Crow
42. Barb Harris
41: Michael Perry
40: Jeff Kraus
39: Ryan Avery
38: Charleen Badman
37: Damon Brasch
36: Dwayne Allen
35: Jason Asher
34: Pamela Hamilton
33: Victoria Chavez
32: Giovanni Scorzo
31: Tim Wilson
30: Travis Nass
29: Jason Alford
28: Clint Spotleson
27: Daniel Wayne
26: Korina Adkins
25: Carla Wade Logan
24: Jeff Zimmerman
23: Gabriele Bertaccini
22: Claudio Urciuoli
21: Peter DeRuvo
20: Natalie Morris
19: Eliot Wexler
18: Sam Fox
17: Bryan Dooley
16: Bernie Kantak
15: Jim Cerreta Sr.
14: Josh Hebert
13: Michael Brown
12: Dave Johnson
11: Chrysa Robertson
10: Joe Johnston
9: Eytan Zias
8: Bob McClendon
7: Snir and Kierstin Mor
6: Francesca Bianco
5: Stephen Jones
4: Cathy Hayes

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