Matthew Rissling, Executive Chef
Matthew Rissling was born in Victoria in 1976, and like many cooks and chefs of his generation, grew up watching cooking shows on PBS, tuning in to see stars like Julia Child, Graham Kerr, Jacques Pepin, Jeff Smith, and of course James Barber on the CBC. Also, the un-fussy cooking styles of his Mom and aunts proved to be lasting influences.
After high school, Matt started washing dishes and making sandwiches in a small café, knowing at the time that this was the only path to take. Later, a few years running the kitchen at a busy seafood restaurant only cemented his desire for more.
He spent the next few years working through the line at Milestone’s, learning to work very quickly and with precision. His seasons here lead him to believe that the time to get more involved in his career had come, and so with his second child on the way, started the process of earning his Red Seal. Days after the birth of his son, Matt received news that the studying and years of practice had paid off, and was awarded his Certificate of Qualification in 2003.
Spurred on by this, he earned a position in the restaurant of the yet to open Marriott Victoria, Inner Harbour. This not only opened him up to a new world professionally, but also stimulated a greater passion for all things food. From here, he was able to come to the Oak Bay Marina, to continue working under Chef Keenliside, eventually earning the position of sous chef. Learning and growing, in 2009 Matt was able to take over for Chef Keenliside, and is looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.
As a former member of the Vic West Food Security Collective, he believes in the idea of fostering local supply and organic production methods and supports this not only through decisive purchasing practices, and an urban garden of his own but was also involved in planting an edible and organic permaculture garden at Banfield Park, most notable planting a 6 foot mulberry bush, which should produce fruit this year.
Matthew lives in a small footprint in Saanich with his wife, daughter and son.