Tolon has made a name for itself in the local food community since opening up their 20-table restaurant in 2016. From its masterfully prepared dishes, to serving only the finest seasonal ingredients, it’s easy to understand how they’ve grown in popularity. But for Chef Matthew Nolot, it’s more than just a restaurant. It’s a way of life.
Both Chef Matthew and his wife and co-owner Nicky are serious about food and the impact food has on communities. It’s why they helped pioneer the farm-to-fork movement in Fort Wayne. And it’s why they take the experience of their patrons seriously. Bringing people together through food is their passion. And the care they pour into Tolon trickles down to diners, who keep coming back to break bread with friends and family, celebrate life’s big milestones, even just to dine solo.
For the first installment of our Chef Spotlight series, we head to Tolon to learn more about Chef Matthew’s signature style, and to get to know the man behind the apron.
Get to know Chef Matthew of Tolon!
Molly: We all know that working in the food industry is a labor of love that requires a lot of passion and sacrifice. When did you know you wanted to become a chef? Was there any one particular moment that inspired the decision?
Chef Matthew: I’ve always said that I didn’t find the restaurant industry, the restaurant industry found me. And once she got her hands on me, she never let go. I would equate it to living with a dragon. I would assume that you don’t just get to pick any dragon, she picks you, and you have to work very hard to find common ground and respect for each other. There are times when she could just crush you, eat you and finish your career, but she doesn’t because of the mutual respect that you have built upon for the last 40 years. You don’t try to tame her, you just learn to work with her—but know this, she’s really the one in charge.
Molly: Tolon is known for its farm-to-fork approach to food. Why is it important to you to source ingredients locally?
Chef Matthew: One of the main reasons is flavor: The less time fresh produce spends in warehouses and shipping, the better the flavor. For example, fresh corn on the cob: as soon as corn is picked, the natural sugars quickly convert to starches, reducing the natural sweetness in just a few days. Not to mention the amount of fossil energy that is spent shipping produce around the globe.
Another important reason is our community. It’s important to Tolon that the money we spend on our farmers and purveyors stays in and benefits our community. The taxes we generate go to the improvement of our school districts, infrastructure and community services.
Molly: Still on the topic of farm-to-fork: In what ways is it rewarding? And in what ways is it challenging?
Chef Matthew: It’s very rewarding in the sense that we are giving the guests the freshest product available to us. The sweetest corn, the juiciest tomatoes, the crispiest lettuce. The highest quality beef, pork, chicken and duck that I have ever worked with is just out our back door.
To see the enjoyment on our guests’ faces—their appreciation of the time and care we put into a finished product—makes all the hours and sacrifices worth it.
The daily challenge we battle is mostly storage. A majority of our local farmers and producers can only take one day away from the farm to do deliveries, and we’ve had such overwhelming support that we’re busier than we ever planned. So trying to fit a week’s worth of product in our tiny space has become a daily game of Tetris.
Molly: How would you describe your personal style of cooking, and how has it evolved over the years?
Chef Matthew: Always getting better (laughs). As I mature in my role at the restaurant, I tend to move away from adding ingredients to a dish, to a more simplistic approach. In the beginning, it was about how many flavors can I add to the dish to try and make up for my lack of skill or knowledge. Now a lot of thought goes into what basics I can add to a dish to elevate it, rather than overloading it with a bunch of garnishes and sauces that have no place on the plate. Just as much thought goes into what I can take away as what I can add.
Molly: If you had to pick one ingredient that you couldn’t live without, what would it be?
Chef Matthew: Kosher salt. Ever had french fries without it? How about a grilled steak or roasted vegetables? I shudder to think of such a world.
Molly: What’s an underrated ingredient that more people should use in their home kitchen?
Chef Matthew: Soy sauce! It’s an important umami-building ingredient that’s very simple to use. It doesn’t have to be used just for Asian-inspired recipes. I add it to tomato sauces, soups, gravies, sauces, everything. It’s especially good for pumping up the flavor of pasta sauces, sausage gravy and any bean dishes. Use it like you would use another seasoning to build that umami taste!
Molly: When it’s your night off, and you’re dining out (or getting takeout), where are you eating?
Chef Matthew: I’m eating whatever my wife, Nicky, is cooking. Everything she makes comes from the heart and just seems to hit the right spot, and for that I am very appreciative. Other than that, I do love and search out a big bowl of overly salty and super spicy noodles.
Molly: What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten?
Chef Matthew: Fried chicken sandwich from Michelin starred chef Grant Achatz at Roister restaurant in Chicago. The combination of the pickle-style brine on the chicken thighs, and a shatteringly crispy crust that was combined with a chamomile mayonnaise with rich and full floral flavor, all punched up with MSG and white pepper. It was served on a silky-smooth-and-crunchy-at-the-same-time toasted homemade brioche that was so rich and light that it defied my understanding of known baking science.
Molly: Last question—what’s your favorite dish on Tolon’s menu right now?
Chef Matthew: I would have to pick our Rabbit Pot Pie. It encapsulates Tolon’s menu in a nut shell. It’s just a few simple ingredients: rabbit, cream, mustard, mushrooms and asparagus, but it’s the care and thought we lovingly put into the dish that changes it into something ethereal.
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Try Chef Matthew’s food for yourself! Visit Tolon’s website for hours, reservations or to catch a glimpse of their menu!
