For the 3rd year in a row, 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville and The Hive are proud to announce that executive chef Matthew McClure has been named a semifinalist for the 2016 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards in the “Best Chef: South” category.
Established in 1990, and often referred to as the “Academy Awards of food,” the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards recognize culinary professionals for achievement in their respective fields. On Tuesday, March 15, 2016, the Foundation will announce the final nominees for all award categories during a press conference at the Presidio Officers’ Club in San Francisco, California.
At The Hive, Matt showcases the refined, country cuisine of the High South, focusing on the local ingredients of Northwest Arkansas and the region’s traditional methods of cooking. The menu at The Hive is reflective of the geography and culinary landscape of the region, and showcases Matt’s longstanding commitment to support local farmers and purveyors. Matt was a James Beard Award semi-finalist for the “Best Chef: South” award in both 2014 and 2015, and was awarded Food & Wine Magazine’s “The People’s Best New Chef” award for the Midwest in 2015. He is also an active member of the Southern Foodways Alliance.
Matthew McClure was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, where hunting, fishing and his grandmother’s cooking ignited his passion for food. After studying at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, he settled in Boston working at a number of restaurants including Troquet, Harvest and No. 9 Park under the direction of Barbara Lynch.
After years in Boston, Matt was eager to get back to his home state to reconnect with the ingredients and foodways of his childhood. He returned to Little Rock where he worked under Lee Richardson at Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel, developing strong relationships with local farmers and producers and rediscovering the agricultural resources of his home state. Matt joined the opening team of The Hive, located at 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville in 2012.
For more information, please visit: http://www.jamesbeard.org/awards.
