My Journey

My name is Matt Parsons and food has been at the center of my existence since the very beginning of my life journey! My grandparents and uncles lived their whole lives as tenant farmers on the prairies of central Illinois. I learned about the power of food from my grandmothers. They had little money, but their wealth came in the form of bartering for fresh locally grown ingredients from their farming neighbors. That food….simple in its presence; had the power to feed families, church congregations, or any of the wily saints and sinners who came in the side door of the farmhouse.

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Food is without a doubt the one thing I have found in the world that creates comfort, warmth, security; and subsequently, is part of what creates our identity. Food transcends the language we speak, the color of our skin, what God we pray to, who we love, and is at the center of commensality. That is why I went into the restaurant business because I believe in the power of food! Over the last 25 years I’ve had the honor of watching food change people’s lives in every possible way you can imagine. So now more than ever I hold out hope that food can transform our society and has the power to help solve some of our most complex problems. My dream is to be a part of creating local and regional food systems that serve communities not shareholders. A food system built around equity, inclusion, independence, and joy! Most importantly the time is NOW to make changes!