Meet PCG Member – Matthew Krenz: From The Ranch To The Range
PCG Member Chef Matthew Krenz, Executive Chef of The Asbury at The Dunhill Hotel, learned how to cook at a very young age, so he’s always had a strong relationship with food.
From shelling peas with his grandmother to mastering the art of a perfectly toasted English muffin pizza, his childhood memories in the kitchen have remained vivid and everlasting.
Krenz grew up all over the South: born in a small suburb of Charlotte, NC. He then made his rounds through Atlanta, Tampa, Houston, and eventually looped his way back to the Queen City.
His first taste of the restaurant industry was at a pizza joint when he was sixteen – answering phones, making pizzas, delivering food. It was one of those places where everyone wore multiple hats. From there he dabbled between back and front of house roles, getting a glimpse of all positions that keep an operation running.
And he’s been involved in hospitality ever since.
After graduating from Piedmont High School, Krenz decided to study graphic design at UNC Charlotte. It was there where he realized that art had always been an exit for him, not a true passion or career path.
With this discovery, he jumped into culinary and trained at Central Piedmont Community College. No other profession fascinated him quite like the restaurant industry; it was a perfect match.
During the years after college, Krenz cooked alongside many talented chefs that he continues to admire today.
“I was able to work with Chef John Shields at Riverstead in Virginia. It was there where I got to witness a very human moment; one that I will never forget. His family was living in another city and he FaceTimed his daughter before the night’s service. It was one of the most beautiful things, as I could see the constant struggle between finding harmony between family and what we, as chefs, love to do. He did it with so much charisma, it’s always been my goal to achieve the same balance in my own career.”
As Executive Chef at The Asbury in Uptown Charlotte, Krenz has nodded to his upbringing in both menu presentation and choice of ingredients.
“When we moved back to North Carolina in 2002, my father and uncle started a cattle operation as a way to educate my brother and I on our family’s heritage. I come from a long line of farmers on my dad’s side, so my commitment to our local food community is deep-rooted in my family tree,”
“Our farm has inspired me to utilize multiple life lesson’s that I’ve learned during a hard day’s work; I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given and I continue to visit the property regularly,” Krenz continued.
The Krenz Family Ranch is located in New Salem, about 20 miles east of Charlotte.
What first started as a hobby to provide loved ones with sustainably raised meat, has now flourished into a successful Angus Hereford Cattle homestead providing all of the beef served at The Asbury.
Chef Krenz also works with other ranchers, like PCG Professional Member Lee Menius of Wild Turkey Farm, to purchase other varieties of locally-raised meat. “It doesn’t matter what event or symposium we are doing, Lee and I always go right back to talking about farming and raising livestock,” voiced Krenz. “It’s quite unique to know that there is someone you can go into deep discussion about the butchering process as well as proper care in the field”.
Through PCG’s vast network of food artisans, members have the opportunity to grow their relationships, share resources and generally help one another with day-to-day operations.
Similar to an all-embracing day at the farm, Krenz does everything he can to play a role in all responsibilities within The Asbury’s kitchen. “In the morning I crank up music and bang out prep… that’s when so much really needs to get done within a very short window,” recollected Krenz.
The quiet and calm of his kitchen before the routine madness is one of his favorite pastimes. Another includes the middle of an evening rush, a controlled chaos where everyone is working towards the same goal. “There’s harmony and an understanding of each person’s role; it can be really extraordinary when executed well.”
PCG Professional Membership has proven to be an enormous value to Krenz, as it’s supported him in cultivating countless relationships with Charlotte’s local farming community. “It’s tricky being attached to a hotel because of it’s broad audience. We have to captivate visitors by making food that’s approachable, yet recognizable. I also find it extremely important that we are seasonally focused as well,” expressed Krenz.
Sourcing ingredients from his PCG relationships has allowed Chef Krenz to showcase fresh, local flavors on his menu which are distinctively Carolinian — while also concentrating on benchmark classics everyone appreciates.
In addition to designing his own menu, Krenz also enjoys hosting collaborative dinners with other chefs, farmers, and local vintners.
These dinners have featured acclaimed winemakers like Andrew Murray and André Mack – as well as noted chefs, such as James Beard award winner Michael Twitty.
He works with Assorted Table Wine Shoppe inside the 7th Street Public Market to curate The Asbury’s wine list.
These collective feasts are a lot more than sippin’ on some extraordinary vino.
“It’s about camaraderie and opening our kitchen to individuals we have a tremendous amount of respect for. I love highlighting wine, but bringing people together is my ultimate mission,” emphasizes Krenz.
Chef Krenz tucks in for breakfast with James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Michael Twitty, who was in town for one of The Asbury’s Collaborative Series Dinners. Chef learned Twitty loved pancakes the night before.
When Krenz isn’t occupied by slinging cast-iron pans in The Asbury kitchen, you can find him at home with his wife Rachel (who just so happens to be pregnant with their first daughter). They both love to cook, and you can often catch them refining their epicurean dexterities by creating meals together, reading culinary publications, and various blogs.
“My wife’s mother was a chef in New Orleans; she passed away in 2009, so I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting her. Of course, being a chef, she told her daughter to never date one. If I could go back in time and prepare a meal for her – or even better – with her, that would be the coolest thing ever.”
It’s the evolution of a dish: the colors, the contrast, the scale between sweet and savory that keeps Chef Matthew Krenz fascinated with his craft. However, to be able to share those experiences with another individual is the root of his survival.
Whether he’s harvesting this season’s haul; sharing sensations over his stove; or traveling to taste the unknown, food is the fellowship that bonds family, friends and guests together at his soul’s table.
Profile written by Jessica Bentley.
Food photos, courtesy of The Asbury at The Dunhill Hotel.
Chef Krenz photos, courtesy of Michael C. Hernandez.
The Asbury at The Dunhill Hotel
237 North Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Charlotte, NC 28202 Reservations