Matthew Accarrino

Experience

Matthew Accarrino is a nationally recognized professional chef and athlete based in San Francisco. Born in the Midwest and raised on the East Coast, he moved west to California in 2007. He had originally hoped to become a professional cyclist until a leg injury turned his passion for cooking into a career. Matthew's unique culinary style draws inspiration from his Italian heritage, personal experience, and classical training with some of America's best chefs. In the kitchen, Matthew takes full advantage of the bounty of opportunities California ingredients present. This includes a quality focused approach to direct sourcing, producing, and at times playing a role in the creation of his ingredients. The result is an intensely personal cuisine that is both technically polished and soulful, which has garnered critical praise. Under his direction, SPQR has been awarded a coveted Michelin star for nearly a decade. He has multiple James Beard Best Chef nominations, and Food & Wine named him a Best New Chef in 2014. Matthew co-authored and released his first book, SPQR: Modern Italian Food and Wine (Ten Speed Press) in October 2012. When not in the kitchen at SPQR, Matthew can be found training on his bicycle or on the road cooking for culinary, charity, or cycling events.