Chef Brian Mattingly on innovation in food and technology
Dropbox’s executive chef never repeats a menu.
The executive chef of Dropbox’s cafe, Tuck Shop, talks about getting his start in the cooking world at age 13, and dishes on one of his favorite Tuck Shop recipes of all time.
How did you get into cooking?
In England we have a guy called Graham Kerr, an equivalent America’s Julia Child. He had a TV show The Galloping Gourmet, probably the first cooking show in England. So I’m eight years old, had been watching his show, and loved it. He did a bit of cooking and he had famous actors come on stage and they sat down, had some wine and food. I realized it was the cooking that sparked my interest; making people happy, using my hands, and creativity.
That kind of semi-compounded itself with my mother’s cooking not being that good. There was food and everything and I was very appreciative of her. But her cooking just wasn’t that good.
When did you decide that you want to be a cook?
I was about 8 or 10 years old when I realized that’s what I wanted to do. Kids at that age always say they want to be a policeman or a fireman and then they do something else. But I always wanted to cook, and never changed my route.
What were your first cooking jobs like?
At age 13, I was a dishwasher at a chain pizza restaurant in England. I helped make pizzas when it was slow. When I was 15, I had an opportunity to work as an apprentice at the Holiday Inn in London. It was a tough job. There was no training to get me ready for the hardcore life of the cooking world. It was like jumping into the deep end of the pool. No one prepares you — you just do it. It’s hard, especially at that age.
Eventually I got a foot in the door in a very elite hotel in London, and did my apprenticeship there for four years. The chef there recognized my hard work and recommended me to Le Gavroche, which was known as the best restaurant in England. That really turned me around from being a kid to being an adult. There were no screws ups allowed. I loved it. And while I was there, we moved from two to three-star Michelin. That was the very first three star Michelin in England.
Did you stay and work in England all through your youth?
Not really. I got a chance to move to Lyon, France, to work with Alain Chapel, one of the best chefs in the world. I lived in France for three years. It was a remarkable time. I even ran a hotel restaurant there from the age of twenty three to twenty five with a whole bunch of cooks.
What did your parents think of your career choice?
They appreciated the fact that I got a job, but they didn’t understand the career path that I had in mind. My dad was an accountant, so of course he wished I’d follow his steps. But then they saw I was making way, and that by sheer luck I landed in fantastic hotels and restaurants that really jump-started my career.
How did you end up moving to the United States?
The parents of my girlfriend at the time owned a chain of charcuterie restaurants, and opened a place in Russian Hill in San Francisco. So the opportunity came over to come to the US for a year, help set it up, and grow it. You don’t turn this kind of thing down. America was a dream. That one year turned into nearly 25 years, and I’m still here.
What did you find surprising when you first moved to America?
In Europe I was very used to doing all the work myself, and doing all the dishes after work. So I remember on one of my first days the chef came to me and said, “What are you doing?” I said, “Cleaning.” Then he said “We have a janitor who comes and does it.” In Europe at the time, all cooks were also the ones who cleaned. You make the food, you clean afterwards. So that was a big surprise for me that in America, you don’t have to do it.
Not many people know that you were a teacher for a long time. How did that happen?
Yes, I did all those great hotels and three-star Michelin restaurants and loved it — but I never had weekends or free nights. So when the opportunity arose to be a teacher in the cooking school in San Francisco, I thought “What a great way to spend a year and have some work-life balance.” Then, as it happens, one year became seven. In the meanwhile I opened two other businesses on the side. I guess I’m kind of a workaholic, you see.
The cooking school then suggested me to be their executive chef, which entailed writing the curriculum and teaching other chefs what to teach students. I thoroughly loved it.
How did you discover the tech world or how did it discover you?
In 2006, one of my former students happened to working at Google and asked for my resume. Soon after, I was interviewed and then became the executive chef at Google. At the time, the typical scenario of corporate food was to have canned food, warm it up, and so on. But Google was determined to change the world of information with its search engine, and also the world of corporate food. They started me out as executive chef of the Google’s signature cafe, serving 5,000 people daily. I had no clue what to do, zero clue. And then at some point it just came to me and it all clicked. I put a game plan together with my leads and cooks, put together a system to track objectives and results, and we were off. Pretty soon, we were recognized worldwide.
And then Apple came along. I created a three-year plan, and I believe it made a big difference in turning things around there.
And then Dropbox called me up…
Why did you come to Dropbox and how do you find it here?
I love it here. My goal at Dropbox was to develop the best corporate food in the world. I talked with Dropbox founders Drew and Arash, and they were in full agreement. They gave me carte blanche to start things from scratch, not fix somebody else’s problems. We never repeat the menu. When you have inspiration and experience, it’s easy to be innovative.
You called your Dropbox cafe Tuck Shop. Why?
In schools all throughout the Commonwealth countries — Australia, Canada, England — when kids go out at recess, they run to a candy store, known as a Tuck Shop. What I’m promoting at Dropbox’s Tuck Shop is this spirit that we’re all kids playing in the candy store: smiles, jokes, great spirit and great food.
What’s your relationship with the people on your team?
Remember, I’m a teacher. If they’re passionate about food and have the love affair with this career, I can offer them the world. They are building their repertoires, names, and resumes. I want them all to be the future chefs of the world. Dropbox is the place where they can build the foundation for anything else they want to do in the future. And if I have a small, positive imprint on their lives then I’m very happy.
Rumours are you’re a pretty strict manager. Is that true?
I set the example for others to follow. I work hard, I play hard. I’m the first one at work, I’m often the last one to leave. I work hard and give ideas. I also give my team the timeline and tight budget. It’s too easy when you have an open budget. Yes, I’m strict, but in a friendly way.
As Dropbox grows around the world, is it a challenge to expand the amazing Tuck Shop experience in San Francisco to other offices?
I don’t think of it as a challenge. International growth is actually starting to play to my strengths. If you think I’ve done a good job now — just wait. I’m excited and I’m ready. I’ve already got the system and processes set, and I’m ready.
How would you characterize the Dropbox culture?
Energized. Fun. Exciting. I’m inspired by the challenges, so I continue aiming higher for myself and for my team. It’s exciting to be pushing the limits to the extreme.
Who cooks in your house?
My wife. She is a better cook than me, by far, not to mention an amazing mother to our three children. So I’ve got the perfect package in life: I’ve got a brilliant job and a brilliant family. I’m just a happy camper.
What advice would you give to someone trying to get into the cooking field?
I hear a lot of chefs say that if you want to apply for a job with them, they ask you to prove your abilities by making an omelet. It sounds simple — but it’s not!
Do you have a favorite Tuck Shop dish?
That’s a really hard question! One thing that comes to mind is when we did a duck confit brioche sandwich with whole grain mustard, and a roasted tomato and bacon soup. Granted, I was very hungry at the time. But it was delicious.
Dropbox is growing. We’d love for you to join our Tuck Shop team.
