Forty Under 40: Matthew McClure

Frozen dinners and Pop-Tarts were never served in Matthew McClure’s childhood home. Both parents liked to cook and used fresh foods.

McClure always had a comfortable grip on cooking as a basic life skill, and his view of the culinary world would evolve from there. 

As a teenager, he held after-school jobs in several restaurant kitchens, where he found satisfaction in the high energy of a busy night, but McClure said his passion for the industry truly developed when he “started to learn how to really cook.” He became excited about quality ingredients and curious about the origin of foods.

His aspirations led him to the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, and, afterward, he worked in Boston at No. 9 Park, under leading chef/restaurateur Barbara Lynch, and then at high-profile spots Troquet and Harvest before deciding to return to his home state. 

In 2007, he became sous chef at Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel in Little Rock, but relocated to Bentonville in 2012 to lead the restaurant at the soon-to-open 21c Museum Hotel.

McClure has received plenty of acclaim at The Hive, including a semifinalist spot for the James Beard Award (called the Oscar’s of food) for best chef in the South.

He believes the region is on the verge of becoming a culinary hotspot and wants to be a part of it for years to come.