Matthew Kammerer

Chef Matthew Kammerer's culinary philosophy is profoundly rooted in an immersive surrender to nature and the specific terroir of Mendocino County, where Harbor House Inn is nestled. His vision for the restaurant was a manifestation—a remote, historical building near the ocean where he could grow food. This deep connection to the environment, fostered since childhood, drives his commitment to conservation and ensures his restaurant's operation has a minimal negative impact. He believes luxury in 2025 is a singular, irreplaceable experience deeply tied to its unique location. The menu is a direct reflection of "what we have," not "what we want," ensuring unparalleled consistency and understanding of ingredients. Kammerer's sourcing is hyper-local, with 90-95% of plant ingredients derived from the Inn's doubled, 200-bed organic farm (managed by Amy Smith, utilizing companion planting) and extensive foraging from its private beach and surrounding forests. Fishermen deliver daily catches directly to the Inn's back door. This hyper-locality extends to nine different sea vegetables, wild ginger, lace lichen, and even house-made sea salt collected from the cove. When nature dictates, such as with canceled salmon seasons or scarce sea urchin, the menu gracefully pivots, leading to a natural progression towards more plant-based cuisine. Kammerer is a pragmatic champion of sustainability, earning a Michelin Green Star. This commitment permeates every operational decision, from using 100% renewable geothermal and solar energy and making candles from leftover fryer oil to reusing vegetable rinse water and composting all waste for the farm. Beyond environmental impact, his philosophy encompasses a holistic approach to well-being: fostering a supportive culture for his staff, ensuring mental health days, promoting work-life balance (kitchen team done by 10 pm), and aiming to make hospitality a sustainable career, not just a job. He continuously questions the true meaning of "sustainable" in fine dining, striving to make the best decisions for the planet, his staff, and the future, rather than claiming absolute sustainability. Chef Kammerer's technical mastery is characterized by a Zen-like precision and an intuitive understanding of how to express the pure essence of his ingredients. His cooking style leans into elemental techniques, primarily employing "fire, steam, and smoke," often in novel applications. He transforms humble ingredients through meticulous processes: kohlrabi is barbecued low and slow for up to eight hours, painted with clarified butter, yielding a dense, smoky, almost meaty texture, juxtaposed with a raw preparation dressed in kelp oil and lemon for textural contrast. Dungeness crab is famously encased in a rock-shaped loaf of ashes and sand, a "salt-baking" technique that steams the crab perfectly, revealed tableside. Albacore tuna undergoes a 4-5 day cedar-box aging before being smoked over dried calendula flowers and served with salted plums. His plating and flavor profiles are an "ecosystem on a plate," designed to capture the coastal destination and moment in time. Dishes are presented on custom-made, locally crafted pottery, emphasizing the connection to place. Flavor depth is built through ingenious use of byproducts, such as spent kelp transformed into a subtly umami kombu ice cream or spent coffee grounds given a "second life." Signature dishes emblematic of his artistry include the maitake mushroom tempura with lace lichen broth—a sustainable, local offering showcasing the high air quality of the region. The grilled kohlrabi, often presented with its raw counterpart, highlights the versatility of farm produce. The unique Dungeness crab preparation, along with the elegant black cod smoked over bay laurel and presented in a custom wooden box, are legendary examples of his harmonious blend of technique, ingredient, and narrative.

Career

• Culinary Student at Johnson & Wales University, Rhode Island
• Early Professional Experience at Various Restaurants, Boston
• Training Stints (Garden-to-Plate Practices) at Various Restaurants, Australia
• Chef (Michelin-starred kitchen) at RyuGin, Japan
• Chef (Michelin-starred kitchen) at In de Wulf, Belgium
• Executive Sous Chef (2015–2018) at Saison, San Francisco
• Executive Chef (2018–Present) at Harbor House Inn, Elk, California