Danny Matechak | Isabella Restaurant and Bar, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
“You don’t find this business, it finds you.” A year out of high school, as Danny Matechak was cutting beef in a local butcher shop near his hometown of German, PA, he had a feeling it wasn’t the “business he was looking for.” So he put down the knife and enrolled in the Pennsylvania Culinary School in Pittsburgh. He knew right away that the “business had found him.”
Immediately after school, when most graduates were stopping to catch their breath, Danny managed to separate himself from a novel size stack of resumes and earn an apprenticeship to the prestigious Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia. At less than 20 years old, Danny was working side by side with Chef Georges Perrier and some of the most influential chefs of the time – a valuable experience that Danny carries with him to this day.
After some time in Philadelphia, Danny made his way to Northeastern Pennsylvania. A fortuitous meeting with Bob Tambur changed Danny’s career path and the lives of foodies in the Wilkes-Barre area for years to come. Danny became executive chef of Isabella Restaurant and Bar, a beautiful restaurant just outside of town, where he was free to showcase his talent. Isabella’s “new-American” cuisine imparts culinary aspects from around the globe along with Danny’s personal touch. The menu contains a section of Chef’s Seafood, an offering of sustainably caught or raised seafood. It also offers naturally raised beef, free of antibiotics and hormones. Chef Danny is thrilled when delighted patrons tell him their experience at Isabella’s rivals any they have had in New York or Philadelphia. Danny takes great pride in Isabella’s kitchen, setting the culinary bar in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
When Danny is not cooking or dreaming up his next menu to keep Isabella’s ahead of the curve, he spends time with his two-year-old son Danny. And of course, a bit of time watching his beloved Yankees.
Isabella Restaurant and Bar | 1140 Route 315 | Wilkes-Barre, PA
570.270.9292 | isabellarestaurantandbar.com