Matt Horn

Since opening his first restaurant in 2020, Horn Barbecue, amidst a global pandemic that nearly gutted the restaurant industry, Chef and Restauranteur Matt Horn managed to consistently deliver a level of excellence that has catapulted him to the forefront of both the barbecue movement and US restaurant scene overall. Horn Barbecue’s brick + mortar restaurant opening followed a few years of pop ups around the Bay Area, which drew a cult-like following of guests willing to travel across the state and country, sometimes waiting in lines for 4-5 hours. This demand and enthusiasm continue, with guests now waiting in lines that wrap for city blocks in Oakland to dig into Horn’s mouthwatering smoked meats and decadent sides. Media and critics have joined in, awarding Horn Barbecue a Michelin Bib Gourmand (2021) and Best New Restaurant nomination for the 2022 James Beard Awards (2022), and honoring Chef Horn as a Food & Wine Best New Chef (2021), SF Chronicle Rising Star Chef (2019), Haute Living Chef To Watch (2021) and a cover feature in the NY Times as a Chef paving the way for BBQ on the West Coast (2021). Chef Horn is a YETI Chef Ambassador and Chef Partner for MadeIn Cookware.

In January 2022, Horn opened his sophomore concept under the Horn Hospitality Group umbrella, Kowbird, a soul-infused, family-owned fried chicken joint also located in Oakland, CA. 2022 will also usher in new Horn Hospitality Group concepts, including Matty’s Old Fashioned, a classic American burger restaurant, Dalia, a casual taco trailer concept, and an eye towards new markets.

A self-taught chef, Horn never worked in any restaurant but his own, as he wanted to teach himself to develop a signature style. After years of experimentation, pop ups and farmer’s market stands, Horn perfected his signature style, blending the smoking techniques of Central Texas barbecue, the foodways of the Black South, and the innovative spirit of the various cuisines found in his native California. From his signature brisket, carefully smoked over 16 hours, to the tender beef and pork ribs, house made hot links or specials like oxtails and lamb shoulder, the meats at Horn Barbecue and the fried chicken at Kowbird are truly unparalleled.

Chef Horn’s passion and drive extends beyond the kitchen. During Covid-19, he founded the Horn Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to food equity and social justice, creating food security for those in need in the Oakland community. Horn Initiative has raised over $20,000 and has served thousands of meals to first responders and community members, collaborating with the Golden State Warriors Home Court Assist Program.