Jack magazine January 2017

#hungry jack I kitchen talk
KITCHEN TALK:
MATT MEDURE
On his latest project Rue St. Marc
By Nate Mayo, Photography by Kristen Penoyer
Matthew Medure grew up in Pennsylvania. His plan was to go to
culinary school, then work for his family’s catering business. After
going to culinary school and earning his wings at The Ritz-Carlton
Amelia Island, he changed his mind.
In 1997, Medure opened Matthew’s Restaurant in San Marco.
It was the start of the empire that is now M Hospitality,
co-owned with his brother David. The restaurant group consists
of four M Shack locations, Matthew’s and Restaurant
Medure. Six restaurants is cool, but seven is the lucky number.
I sat down to talk with Matthew about his latest venture, Rue
St. Marc (RSM) in San Marco.
The concept, according to Matthew, will bridge the gap
between the elevated cuisine of Matthew’s and a more casual
dining vibe. It will be the first restaurant in the group that will
be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Matthew describes it as,
“A cool, hip, mildly French, kind of hipster place that would be
communal, social and inexpensive,” while featuring a chef-driven
menu that meets the high-technique standard that is showcased in
the M Hospitality fine dining establishments.
Rue St. Marc will be located across the street from Matthew’s
Restaurant in a building that M Hospitality has owned for the past
11 years, and has mainly used as a commissary.
The Medure brothers have assembled an Avengers-like team to
run this new venture. The fierce Gabby Saul will be the beverage
director. She was previously the head bartender at Restaurant
Medure, and is arguably one of the best mixologists in town
given that she has won the Judge’s Choice award at First Coast
Magazine’s 2015 Toast of the Coast competition (TOC) and the
People’s Choice Award at the 2016 TOC. Sweets extraordinaire,
Rebecca Reed from Matthew’s will fly in as the executive pastry
chef. She will be baking my favorite focaccia bread, rustic
baguettes, croissants, brioche buns for the burgers and pastries.
Scott Alters, will be the executive chef and general manager. A
graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, he
cut his chops at La Toque in Napa Valley and has held numerous
roles within M Hospitality over the years.
I asked Matthew what he wanted to accomplish in 2017. He
said that iron sharpens iron, steel sharpens steel. “My vision
for 2017 is refinement,” he says. “The focus will be inward. After
Rue St. Marc, there will be no more growth in 2017.” He is going
to fine tune his restaurant group machine providing the best possible
experience for all involved.
Jacksonville’s dining scene continues to blossom with no signs
of slowing down, and Matthew Medure has proven to have the
Midas touch. I can’t wait to for Rue St. Marc to open so I can stay
there all day and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.
For more information visit mhospitalityfl.com
j
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