09/25/2023
A note from Josh:
We met when I was 25 and Matty was 23. Kids. Dreaming. A fateful introduction. Three months into Vesta, back in 1997, I promoted this culinary protege to Executive Chef of Vesta. It was one of the best decisions of my career. Matty was not formally trained. He used to brag about his climb up the Bennigan’s culinary ladder. He was self taught. Always playing. Always testing. Always tasting. Always making it fun. A master of the practical joke. Matty was way ahead of his time both in the culinary world and as a leader. Matty’s time under the mentorship of Jimmy Schmidt and Tim Anderson of Rattlesnake Grill and Noah Cunningham of Strings was immensely influential. They opened Matty's eyes to the power of cooking and restaurants as it related to community and philanthropy. He always jumped at the opportunity to give back and his volunteer services over 15 years at Vesta, Steuben’s and Ace touched the lives of countless children and young adults in need of a little help. By the age of 30 Matty had already achieved culinary accolades and recognition that many chefs never reach in their entire careers. Rubbing elbows and appearing on TV with the likes of Rachel Ray, Jaques Pepin and Guy Fieri. Matty was always humble, always grateful, and always giving credit to his team. He was immensely proud of the family tree that extends through Denver restaurants via the Vesta kitchen. We opened Steuben’s together. We opened Ace together. We published The Vesta cookbook together. We traveled, we ate, we drank, we learned, we married, we grew up together. We shared an unforgettable tasting menu at Charlie Trotters and I’ll never forget Matty’s first experience with steamer clams at the Union Oyster House in Boston. We did “R&D” in San Francisco, Chicago, NYC, Boston and Bangkok back when we were somehow able to eat our way through 15-20 places in a day. Our youngest children were born the same year. He embraced his role as a father. He had food tattoos on his knuckles (foie gras) long before it was the trend. He was part of the original Denver Five, a team of Chefs that put Denver’s culinary scene on the national map. He represented Denver at The James Beard House in 2005 and 2008.
It’s hard to believe we last worked together 11 years ago. I last heard from Matty in December of 2022. He had brought his daughters and granddaughter into Steuben’s for a lobster roll. His long text concluded with “They hadn’t a clue who I am or was. They simply went about their jobs with kindness and empathy.” Chef Selby always went through his days looking for ways to bring smiles to others whether it be through his food, his energy, or his genuine form of hospitality.
To the Vesta family, I feel as sad and heavy hearted as I’m sure you do. The time will come to celebrate the incredible journey, against many odds, that defined the life and career of Matt Selby. Like an artist, he exemplified what is possible when you honor your passions. And though Chef Selby stepped away from the spotlight in the later years of his career, he elevated the Denver culinary scene, passed on his knowledge, and did more than his part to give back to his hometown community. Matty’s view was that “ultimately, all the success in the world means nothing if you don’t share it with the community that has fed your passions." Thank you Chef Selby. With love and gratitude.
And if you need some positive vibes in this time of mourning, play Chuck Mangione’s “Feels So Good”. It was Matty’s Vesta kitchen theme song.
