Chef Matt Fritz

I’m a classically trained chef with a passion for creating delicious food using high‑quality, locally sourced ingredients. My culinary career began in the Chicago area, where I grew up and attended culinary school, earning my degree in Culinary Arts & Hospitality. After visiting Montana with my family in the ’80s, I fell in love with this place and eventually made it my home in 1999.

Since then, I’ve cooked in some of Big Sky’s most well-known establishments, including Lone Mountain Ranch, Rainbow Ranch, and the Yellowstone Club. Along the way, I began taking on private chef work by request, balancing those projects with running professional kitchens. In 2012, I finally put on my private‑chef apron full time, and in 2015 Freestone Kitchen was born with the purchase of a commercial kitchen space in Big Sky—allowing me to expand my capacity and take on larger events.

My cooking is grounded in relationships—with the land, with local growers, and with the people I cook for. Knowing where my ingredients come from matters deeply to me, whether they’re sourced from trusted Gallatin Valley ranchers and farmers or grown in my own backyard. That connection shapes food that is both elevated and rooted in Montana’s culture and seasonality.

When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll likely find me outdoors: guiding fly‑fishing trips, nordic skiing, racing mountain bikes, hunting, gardening, tending bees, or chasing after my crazy bird dog. Travel and wine also continue to inspire my work, fueling an ongoing culinary education that spans everything from street‑side falafels to Michelin‑starred dining.

Someday, I can imagine opening a small B&B with a chef’s garden and a weekend café. Until then, I’m happily cooking, exploring, and “truckin’ on”—always with a “touch of grey”.