07 - Matt Phillips
The Explore84 Podcast
English - April 30, 2019 07:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBSociety & Culture Business personal growth entrepreneur wellness soul body mind healthy goals explore health topics self improvement Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
"There's something to be said for local and fresh." This episode we're joined by Matt Phillips, Owner & Chef at Edmonton's Northern Chicken, and co-founder of In The Weeds YEG, an organization focused on changing the way mental health is approached in the dining industry.
When asked about the concept of his restaurant, Matt's answer was simple: "Nashville hot chicken, bourbon, beer, and hip-hop." Edmonton's Northern Chicken is a place to enjoy some Doritos mac n' cheese, spicy chicken, and just to have fun. Matt and his partners have a tenured history in the restaurant industry, many of them previously working in fine dining at restaurants they couldn't afford to eat at themselves. Northern Chicken gives them an opportunity to be authentic in their food, present a southern classic with fresh Canadian ingredients, and keep their fine dining approach while shedding the pretentiousness that came with it.
Matt is a massive advocate for Alberta's craft beer industry, praising the strong community and awesome people. He's also a strong advocate for mental health in the restaurant industry, and with the help of a group of other Edmonton business owners, he's tackling that with In The Weeds YEG. In the high stress environment of the kitchen, shit happens, and the people working hard to let us enjoy a great meal are often left behind when it comes to mental health. In The Weeds seeks to change that by providing resources for those affected to get the help they need, and also by creating a framework for other businesses to make mental health a key ingredient in their culture.