S2:E2 Matt Brice / Federal American Grill

On today's show the incredible executive chef, and restauranteur, and noticeable challenger to 2020 shutdowns, the one and the only; Matt Brice.

When the world closed down in 2020, Matt challenged the county and the nation as the first restaurant to open despite the county telling him to shut down. Matt could not see the livelihood of his people, and the restaurant business as a whole go down in silence. He didn’t agree with the county picking and choosing who would open and who would not. He stood for his rights, faced the consequences, and opened. Matt was the first restaurant to open during 2020. The rest is history!

Matt Brice, born and raised in a small town just outside of Boston, broke into the restaurant industry at the early age of 13 after persuading the owners of the local Lucky Strike Diner to give him a shot in the kitchen. He quit his paper route to become the best dishwasher they had ever seen and was quickly promoted to busboy, then line cook. To this day, Matt credits the early days at Lucky Strike Diner for his love of the restaurant industry. Matt attended Worcester State University on a basketball scholarship, majoring in business studies. During his time at Worcester State, Matt began working with Brinker International and quickly progressed through the ranks with their Chili’s brand. He credits Chili’s with his ability to thrive in such a structured corporate environment. In 2002, Ruth’s Hospitality Group recruited Matt. He was quickly promoted to the General Manager of their Manhattan store, making him the youngest GM in the company. In 2006, success with Ruth’s had gotten the interest of the famous restaurateur Johnny Vassallo, and he was soon a partner in developing seven different concepts at eight restaurants, one of them being Mo’s…a Place for Steaks.

Through his experience operating Mo’s, Matt fell in love with the city of Houston and its residents. He is thrilled to call Houston home and to be growing his business and raising a family in what is now his favorite city. Matt’s first experience as a sole owner came in 2011 when he purchased Bistro des Amis in Rice Village. In 2013, Matt opened his second Houston spot, Federal American Grill on Shepherd. The name “Federal” pays homage to Matt’s beloved wife of 10+ years, Jen, whose family business, Federal Flange, was started by her grandfather in the ’60s.

At Federal American Grill, Matt has built a brand based on this family tradition: excellent food, strong community, and genuine hospitality. The “we’ve never met a stranger” feel to the front of the house combined with the American scratch cooking from the highest quality ingredients in the back of the house takes the dining experience to a whole new level. He has pulled the strength of systems from his corporate days, combined with his warmth and hospitality-driven nature, to create not just a fantastic restaurant but to build a fantastic team. Matt has built strong relationships with not only guests, vendors, and employees, but also neighboring restaurants and businesses. He exhibits his love for the restaurant community by not only visiting neighboring restaurants himself but also spreading the word with guests. Matt & The Federal American Grill now have 4 restaurants thriving around the greater Houston area with a Downtown location opening in early 2024. As Matt says, We hope to make you feel at home at one of our restaurants in the near future, “Where yes is the answer, what is your question?” Don’t miss this episode!