Matthew Kammerer

Matthew Kammerer is an American chef and the executive chef of the Harbor House Inn in Elk, California[1] where he has earned two Michelin stars and a Michelin Green Star.[2] In 2019, he was named a Food & Wine Best New Chef,[3] and he has been a multi-time James Beard Award semi-finalist.[4]

Biography

Kammerer grew up in West Long Branch, on the New Jersey shore, where early experiences dining out with his family sparked an interest in food and restaurants.[5] He began working in kitchens as a teenager, starting as a dishwasher and later gaining basic culinary skills as a prep cook.[6] He enrolled at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, where he studied culinary arts.[7]

Career

His early professional experience included positions in Boston and extended training stints in Australia, where he learned garden-to-plate practices.[3] He also worked in Michelin- kitchens RyuGin in Japan[8] and In de Wulf in Belgium, gaining experience in precise technique and seafood preparation.[9] Kammerer subsequently moved to San Francisco, where he worked for three years as Executive Sous Chef at Saison from 2015–2018, then a three-Michelin-star restaurant.[10]

Kammerer later sought a remote coastal location aligned with his interest in hyper-local, nature-centered cuisine.[11] After considering sites in the Pacific Northwest and California, he selected the Mendocino Coast and joined the Harbor House Inn in Elk, California.[12] The historic inn, originally built in 1916, reopened in 2018 with Kammerer serving as executive chef.[13]

Kammerer received one Michelin star in 2019[14] and subsequently two Michelin stars beginning in 2021.[15] He has also been awarded a Michelin Green Star.[16][17]

Kammerer has additionally appeared in media features and culinary programs, participating on the Apple TV documentary series Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars.[18]

References

  1. ^ Minh Le, Anh. "It's one of the hardest restaurants to reach in California. It's also world famous". San Francisco Chronicle.
  2. ^ Adams, Helen (2021-09-28). "Michelin Green Star chef Matthew Kammerer on sustainability". sustainabilitymag.com. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  3. ^ a b "F&W Best New Chefs 2019: Matthew Kammerer of Harbor House Inn in Elk, California". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  4. ^ Kadvany, Elena. "James Beard awards snubbed the Bay Area. Are our restaurants still among the best in the country?". San Francisco Chronicle.
  5. ^ Gibson, Amber. "Interview with chef Matthew Kammerer of Harbor House Inn". www.finedininglovers.com. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  6. ^ Kruik, Meg van der (2024-12-28). "Harbor House Inn & Restaurant Michelin Star Meals by the Sea". California Prunes. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  7. ^ Joseph, Lauren. "Chefs on the Films That Always Make Them Hungry". New York Times.
  8. ^ "'Sea-to-table': Mendocino coast inspires Harbor House chef". The Press Democrat. 2018-06-29. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  9. ^ Duggan, Tara. "Why a Saison cook left San Francisco to cook on the Mendocino Coast". San Francisco Chronicle.
  10. ^ Leilani Marie Labong Photography by John Lee (2017-10-11). "Saison chef transforms ranch into an exclusive supper club". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2022-05-27. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  11. ^ Paulsen, Sasha (2018-08-06). "The Harvest at Harbor House: Chef Matthew Kammerer creates a menu inspired by California's wild north coast". The Napa Valley Register. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  12. ^ Jr. • •, Joe Rosato (2022-05-20). "Mendocino County Chef Hoping to Make Invasive Purple Urchin Delicious". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  13. ^ Latham, Jeremy Repanich,Tori (2023-11-13). "The 50 Most Powerful People in American Fine Dining". Robb Report. Retrieved 2026-01-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ biteclub (2019-06-04). "Remote Mendocino Restaurant Tapped in First Ever California Michelin Guide". Sonoma Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  15. ^ "2021 California New MICHELIN Stars". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  16. ^ Al-Mousawi, Emma (2023-01-21). "Four Talented Young Chefs with Michelin Green Stars". Elite Traveler. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  17. ^ Shortell, David. "Kohlrabi is King at California's Two MICHELIN Star Harbor House". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  18. ^ Morris, Matt. "Mendocino Co.: Apple Tv Spotlights Michelin-Starred Mendocino Coast Chef In New Reality Show". San Francisco Gate.
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