Uptown Magazine December 2018

Taste
CUISINE
CHEF CONVERSATIONS
In the kitchen with Matthew Taylor, executive chef of Mora Italian
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Matthew Taylor moved to Arizona during high school and started his culinary career at the young age of
15. Since then, he has worked alongside nationally recognized chefs in top restaurants around the Valley and country. Taylor has always
found his way back to his adopted home of Phoenix and is now the executive chef of Mora Italian.
BY GABBY LEIGHTON / PHOTO BY MARK MORGAN
When did you know you wanted to be
a chef? My fascination with the kitchen began
when I was working as a dishwasher, but my
passion was ignited while attending the EVIT
culinary program here in Mesa. I owe a lot to
chef Michael Turcotte and the other instructors
there for realizing my potential as cook and
turning a love of food into a viable career path.
What about the Arizona food scene has
kept you coming back? Honestly, the people.
I have found and kept so many lifelong relationships
(including meeting my wife Melissa)
from being a part of restaurants here.
To you, food is: Sharing and giving. A
selfless experience that crosses borders and
cultures, and a catalyst for memories you might
not have otherwise.
If you weren’t a chef, you’d probably
be… A marine biologist or archeologist. I have
always been fascinated with work related to
evolutionary studies, and the opportunity to
spend a lot of time outdoors and have nature
as part of my office.
When you’re not cooking, where would
we find you? Outdoors or spending time in
small town Arizona. We love our getaways up
to Jerome, Prescott and down to Bisbee, or on
the ocean whenever possible.
What food is your guilty pleasure? Ice
cream and pecan pie. I’ve been known to put a
whole pie down in one evening only to pay the
sugar coma price tag later, but it’s worth it.
Favorite food memory: A meal when I
dined solo at Cochon while working in New
Orleans. It was 2006, the restaurant had
recently opened, and the city was slowly
coming back to life after [Hurricane] Katrina.
Despite all the devastation there was a definite
energy of hope and celebration in the air. That
meal and restaurant at that time seemed to
be a culinary precursor to all the wonderfully
prideful cooking that was to come as everyone
rebuilt.
Favorite food to cook: I really enjoy making
pâtes and terrines. I have a soft spot for classic
and often laborious preparations.
5651 N. 7th St., Phoenix; 602.795.9943;
www.moraitalian.com.
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