What you may not know is that Fidel Gastro’s started off as a pop up, with Matt selling street food in Toronto’s underground markets. Prior to that, Matt was working a cubicle job, far from a kitchen, where his indisputable talent would soon make a splash in the food scene.

Following the success of his pop-up events, Matt and his team launched the Fidel Gastro’s food truck, also known as “Priscilla”, which was voted Canada’s #1 food truck by Canadian Living Magazine. But they weren’t done yet – the FG team opened brick & mortar restaurant, Lisa Marie, in downtown Toronto. Matt has also hosted TV program Rebel Without A Kitchen, appeared on The Food Network’s hit show Eat Street and released his first cookbook, Street Food Diaries, in October 2014.

Favourite ingredient to cook with?

Fresh lemon but recently it’s been root beer.

Favourite Toronto restaurant?

Pai is amazing.

Ingredient you’re most afraid of?

Tofu – not my thing.

Celebrity you would love to cook for?

Larry David.

What would you make Larry?

Oh, ribs for sure.

Midnight snack?

I love a good mortadella sandwich.

Baked or fried?

Fried, always.

Hangover cure?

Eggs, any way.

Would you rather never cook again or never taste again?

Oh my god, I would never cook again – eating comes first.

Curse words you use in the kitchen?

Beside the obvious one, I say Jesus murphy a lot.

Would you rather be a waiter or a dishwasher?

Dishwasher for sure.

Food on a skewer or a tiny spoon?

Skewer.

Last meal on earth?

T-bone steak.

Soup or salad?

Soup.

Chicken breast or thigh?

Chicken thigh.

Breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast?

Breakfast for dinner, definitely.

Favourite season to cook?

Spring.

Chef you want to battle in a chef showdown?

Ted Reader.

Weirdest dish you’ve ever made?

Pig’s heart.

Favourite kitchen gadget?

Microplane, for shaving cheese and lemons.

Hot sauce or barbecue sauce?

Both, I would mix them together.

If you were stranded on an island with another person, who would it be?

Girlfriend.

Culinary trend you wish would die a slow and painful death?

Foam.

How many cooking scars do you have?

Oh god, permanent scars? At least 15, and I almost lost a finger using a deli machine once.

Favourite place besides Toronto?

Hong Kong – it’s amazing.