Chef Matt Curmi

Chef Matt Curmi, the newly appointed head chef at Bistro on Spruce, was born in Scotland to an English mother and Maltese father. Matt learned to cook during high school in Malta, a European country off the coast of Sicily. He applied for his Visa in 1996 and headed to Arizona; where he went on to get his degree in hotel restaurant management from the University of Arizona in May 2000. His education, though, is a combination not only of formal instruction, but of culinary instruction brought on through his world travels.

With his culinary journeys encompassing not only the US but the UK, Spain, and other regions of the Mediterranean, he was able to cover many cuisine types and flavors. It was Maine where he learned the techniques of working with seafood. He lived in Spain, where he cooked Spanish and German for two years, followed by England, where he was cultured in French cuisine by working in a French bistro. His next endeavor was a Thai food pub in Poole, South England, where he remained for three years.  In 2006 he received the Uk Pub chef of the year award for eastern cuisine and acquired a 3 week stage placement at the Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire, England.

So how did Matt end up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho? After receiving another visa he grabbed his dog and headed north, not knowing where he was destined to end up. In June 2008, he landed in small-town Coeur d’Alene. It would be his final stop, at least for the time being. He began his local career at Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery in the Riverstone Development. Now, less than one-year later, Matt is the head chef at Bistro on Spruce. Since his arrival, he’s been spicing up the menu with new items such as Thai pork curry, among other tasty notables. Try him out. He has a world of flavors for you to try!