Rizzo's House of Parm

Say the name “Matty Matheson” anywhere in Fort Erie and you will hear nothing but positive things. In fact, say his name just about anywhere now and you will get nothing but rave reviews – from his talent in the kitchen to his talent on the big screen, Matty Matheson has become both a culinary and entertainment force to be reckoned with.

Matthew James Matheson, born February 7, 1982, in SaintJohn, New Brunswick, is a Canadian chef, restaurateur, actor, and internet personality. When he turned 11, Matty’s family moved to Fort Erie, Ontario, a place still near and dear to his heart, and which he still calls home.

Matty’s interest in cooking and food began at a very young age. His grandfather was a restaurateur from Prince Edward

Island, where his family has roots dating back to the 1700s. Matty spent his summers at his grandfather’s restaurant, “The Blue Goose,” in DeSable.

After finishing high school in Fort Erie, Matty moved to Toronto in 2000 to attend Humber College’s cooking program. Not one for the traditional classroom, Matty didn’t last long at Humber and chose to go on tour as a roadie for one of his friends’ heavy metal bands. But the lure of the kitchen was too strong, and with his talent for butchering meat, Matty continued his culinary career by handing out resumes to random restaurants until he was offered a job. Matty began working at Le Select Bistro in Toronto in 2003 under the tutelage of chef Rang Hguyen, where he gained

French culinary techniques. From there, Matty moved to La Palette in 2006. In 2010, he became Executive Chef at Parts & Labor Restaurant where he remained for 9 years until it closed in 2019.

Matty’s adventures in the culinary world of Toronto are vast, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, in the summer of 2020, he brought his love of barbecue back home to Fort Erie and created a pop-up restaurant called Matty Matheson’s Meat + Three, a take on the southern American meat plus 3 specializing in American barbecue. The Meat + Three pop-up closed in 2022.

This could have become a tragedy to the locals who just love Matty and his food. But in November of that same year, he opened Rizzo’s House of Parm, a restaurant serving old-school, Italian-American fare, in Crystal Beach, a stone’s throw from Fort Erie. He named the restaurant after his first daughter and second child, Rizzo.

Rizzo’s House of Parm offers a menu of traditional

Italian foods, with the specialty on dishes prepared “al parmigiana,” consisting of chicken or veal cutlets, or for the vegetarian, eggplant – all breaded, deep-fried until golden brown, then smothered in Matty’s homemade tomato sauce, all topped with the best grade of a blend of mozzarella, pecorino Romano, and Parmesan cheese.

The pasta lover can indulge in traditional spaghetti and homemade meatballs, penne al vodka, and rigatoni carbonara, just to name a few. The mozzarella sticks as an appetizer are renowned, and the salads are all fresh and hearty. Portions are huge and very easily shareable. If anything, this writer encourages any newbies to Rizzo’s House of Parm to save room for dessert. All desserts are made in-house and worth every calorie as is the Espresso Martini – one of the best I’ve ever had. Add to this an extensive wine list and a great cocktail menu, and you have a prescription for a great night out. And maybe, just maybe, you will catch a glimpse of Matty himself.