Matt Rudofker – Director of Culinary Operations at Momofuku

Matthew Rudofker joined Momofuku Ssäm Bar as a Sous Chef in 2010 and soon rose to Executive Chef. In 2015 he was also named Executive Chef of Momofuku Má Pêche.  Matthew has received a variety of recognition from the hospitality community included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Zagat 30 under 30, Eater Young Guns, and James Beard Nominated Rising Star Chef. He is now the Director of Culinary Operations at Momofuku, a gastronomic dynasty whose coin of the realm is Heritage pork. The Bo Ssäm at Ssam Bar, especially, is a masterpiece of pork, something like “pig candy,” cured and slow cooked, and dizzying in its deliciousness.

“We get bellies and butts from Heritage for some of our classic dishes like the Pork Buns and Bo Ssäm.  Our menus are ever-changing and evolving. We work with Patrick, The Heritage Foods team, and all the farmers to ensure as a company we help utilize as many sections of the animal as possible.  It is important for our chefs to have an open dialogue in regard to animal breeds and cut specifications to bring the best product to the table for our guests

“Early on we went with Patrick on one of his farm trips – we went to Paradise Locker Meats, the processing plant, and five or six different farms, getting a feel for the whole operation. That’s really important to us, to visit everyone we buy from, from fish to meat, we go out to the farm, see the produce, we farm our own oysters… having that connection to where the product is coming from, especially in the case of animals to see that they are being treated humanely and they have good lives, that is who we are. We’ve made it a point to be responsible about sourcing product – it’s about building an understanding with our guests and vendors so that they trust us.”

“Whenever we run a pork chop I talk with Patrick about exactly how I want it to be, from breed  — typically we are using Berkshire, Duroc, or Red Wattle — to density, to the cut, and it translates to the customer. It’s a pork chop people talk about.”