Matt Bolton

SUNY Adirondack Culinary Instructor Chef Matthew Bolton is also a SUNY Adirondack Culinary alumni and former executive chef at the award-winning restaurant Friends Lake Inn. He was awarded the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service in 2021-22; was named to the 2019 40 Under 40 in the Capital Region; was Club Advisor of the Year at SUNY Adirondack in 2017, 2019 and 2022; and was a WWAARC Chocolatier Champion in 2014 and 2016. Chef Bolton was ranked third in New York Beef Council’s Culinary College Beef Competition in 2017; was listed as Open Table top 10 restaurants in the Tri-State, 2009-2014; and earned a Wine Spectator Grand Award, 2003-2014. He earned the DiRoNA Award, 2003-2014; Select Registry Award for Distinguished Inns, 2003-2014; was invited to and cooked at James Beard House in 2004, 2008 and 2013; received the James Beard Award for Excellence, 2008-2014; and was recognized with a AAA Four Diamond Restaurant Award, 2005-2014. He was named one of the top 5,000 Best Chefs in America and published in Best Chefs America 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions, and earned a Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Warren County “Friend of the Extension” Award for supporting Educational Programs in 2015.

Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts from SUNY Adirondack; Bachelor of Science in Vocational Teacher Preparation from SUNY Oswego; and industry certifications that include: State University of New York at Oswego Division of Extended Learning Safe Schools, Healthy Students Certified; Certified ServSafe Instructor; Certified Registered ServSafe Proctor; Certified ServSafe Food Protection Manager; National Restaurant Association ManageFirst Program Instructor; and National Restaurant Association Manage First Program Proctor

Matt's passions are being a dad, hanging with friends and family, traveling and eating.