FOOD
del-(ISH)-ious Matt Fern envisions a delicatessen that blends cultures and cuisines by CATHERINE CURRIN
“I
’ve always wanted to own something fun and creative,” says Matt Fern, whose muchanticipated new restaurant on Person Street combines some of his favorite foods and best dining memories from growing up in upstate New York. “My vision for (ish) delicatessen is kind of an amalgam of cultures and cuisines: Jewish, Italian, and Southern.” If Fern’s name seems familiar, it’s because he’s a fixture in Raleigh’s foodand-drink scene — if you’ve toasted on The Longleaf Hotel patio, sipped wine 34 | WALTER
photography by JOSHUA STEADMAN
with your fried chicken at Beasley’s, or celebrated at Death & Taxes, he’s been the man behind the beverage. Fern moved to Raleigh in 2003 (he also lived here for a brief stint in 1995), bouncing around as a server at restaurants like 518 West and Vivace before landing a gig selling wine at Seaboard Wine Warehouse. “Seaboard was a huge springboard for me — I started to get the bug,” Fern says. Part of his job included traveling to Europe for wine buying trips, and it sparked something. “I remember sitting at a winery and watching the winemaker
get so excited and passionate about wine. I thought, Wine is going to be something I work with for the rest of my life.” This love and knowledge of wine — Fern is a Level 2 certified sommelier — plus his natural warmth led to a connection with chef Ashley Christensen. In 2003, when he was working at 518 West, she was cooking nearby at the now-closed Enoteca Vin. “I used to take meetings and lunches there, and Fern was the most welcoming hospitality pro,” says Christensen. “He knew when to give you space and when you needed to feel a little more
