Photography by Sawyer Baird

Ignacio Mattos

CHEF AND FOUNDER, MATTOS HOSPITALITY

NAME AN INFLUENCE OF YOURS THAT MIGHT SURPRISE PEOPLE.

The movie Elf.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF IN YOUR INDUSTRY? LESS OF?

I’d like to see fewer cynics, and more people looking to have a good time.

““I hope that I’ve contributed to culture by creating a backdrop for the daily life of New Yorkers.””

DESCRIBE A RECENT CROSSROADS AT WHICH YOU FOUND YOURSELF.

Having both a 10-month-old baby and a 13-year-old son is a fascinating and once-unfathomable gift. The breadth of conversations and experiences and challenges we experience on a daily basis is sort of mind-numbing. Being present with my family and supportive of my partner—and the projects that I love—is a constant balancing act.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURE?

My team and I talk constantly about how to create genuine restaurants that feel like they’re part of the city—spaces that serve as gathering points for life-cycle events. I hope that I’ve contributed to culture by creating a backdrop for the daily life of New Yorkers.

WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE, WHAT WERE YOU KNOWN FOR?

I was more sensitive and inquisitive than most of my peers. And I had boundless energy.

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