Title: 1) Chief Culinary Officer; 2) Chief Culinary Officer; 3) Principal; 4) Co-Founder
Company: 1) Phoenix3 Collective; 2) Restaura; 3) Rooted Impact Consulting LLC; 4) ROME Seed Co.
Location: Cumberland, Rhode Island, United States
Matthew Thompson, Chief Culinary Officer at Phoenix3 Collective, Chief Culinary Officer at Restaura, Principal at Rooted Impact Consulting LLC and Co-Founder at ROME Seed Co., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Culinary Arts, Sustainable Food Systems, Diet and Nutrition, and Lifestyle Medicine.
Mr. Thompson has established himself as a leading authority in culinary arts and sustainable food systems, with a distinguished career spanning three decades at the intersection of hospitality and healthcare food service. Since 2024, he has served as the chief culinary officer and founding member of Phoenix3 Collective in Waltham, Massachusetts. In this fast-paced and innovative role, he handles all culinary and dietary responsibilities across multiple enterprise verticals. Mr. Thompson’s work includes collaborating with supply chain teams to source new ingredients and develop strategies for sustainability, partnering with registered dietitian teams to design diet protocols and create memorable food experiences without reliance on sodium or unhealthy fats. He is also deeply engaged with diners to gather feedback and evolve organizational standards while traveling frequently to oversee operations at various locations. As a mentor and leader, Mr. Thompson imparts his accumulated knowledge to team members throughout the organization.
In addition to his role at Phoenix3 Collective, Mr. Thompson has simultaneously held the position of chief culinary officer at Restaura in Waltham since 2024. He played a pivotal role in establishing Restaura Hospitality as part of Phoenix3 Collective’s portfolio, specializing in elevating senior living dining standards through industry-first culinary hospitality benchmarks.
Since 2020, Mr. Thompson has also served as a principal of Rooted Impact Consulting LLC, a strategic advisory practice through which he works with mission-aligned organizations on food-as-medicine transformation, regenerative sourcing strategy, food safety and culinary operations design. Additionally, since 2020, Mr. Thompson has served as the co-founder of ROME Seed Co., contributing his expertise to consulting projects focused on sustainable food systems and innovative seed solutions.
Earlier, from 2017 to 2024, Mr. Thompson was the co-founder and chief culinary officer of Harvest Table Culinary Group. There, he led transformative initiatives in collegiate dining by prioritizing whole-food ingredients, scratch cooking and sustainability across higher education institutions.
Mr. Thompson previously excelled as a sergeant-at-arms for the American Culinary Federation from 2019 to 2023, following his tenure as a northeast regional culinary and sustainability director for Aramark between 2013 and 2017. In these capacities, he supported sustainable food programs across more than 65 college campuses north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Affiliated with Aramark for many years, Mr. Thompson worked his way up from a production supervisor to a property manager, food production manager, and director of operations at Brandeis University between 2002 and 2013. Additionally, he was affiliated with Bryant University from 1999 to 2001, involved in information technology support.
Among other professional opportunities, Mr. Thompson worked for Newport Harbor Corporation (now Newport Restaurant Group) between 2004 and 2015, where he acquired progression from a lead programmer upward to a line cook and rounds gook. From 2007 to 2015, he also excelled as the co-owner and executive chef of Affairs to Remember in Providence, Rhode Island.
Educationally driven by a lifelong thirst for learning, Mr. Thompson has held a Bachelor of Science in computer information systems and business administration from Bryant University since 2003 and a Master of Business Administration in management from Johnson & Wales University since 2016. His academic background laid the foundation for his unique integration of technology into modern hospitality operations, a skill set influenced by his father’s career as a computer scientist.
In addition to his degrees, Mr. Thompson has earned numerous advanced certifications that have contributed to his success. These include the world certified master chef designation from Worldchefs Ltd., an honor achieved in 2025 that reflects his commitment to mastery within the global culinary community, as well as a plant-based culinary arts certification from the Food Future Institute, certified executive chef and certified culinary administrator credentials from the American Culinary Federation, a certificate in health and wellness lifestyle medicine from Harvard Medical School and, among others, a certificate in the 21-day racial equity challenge from Food Solutions New England.
Mr. Thompson’s professional journey is further distinguished by his memberships in leading industry organizations, such as Worldchefs Ltd., the World Master Chefs Society (UK), the American Culinary Federation and Farm to Institution New England’s board. His commitment to excellence is matched by his passion for mentorship, an endeavor he considers the highlight of his career thus far. Mr. Thompson finds profound fulfillment in guiding emerging talent within the hospitality industry, working closely with graduates, students and newcomers who represent the future of food exploration. Notably, as a speaker and coach for the American Culinary Federation’s chef network and through global collaboration with Worldchefs Ltd., he continues to share insights gained through international participation while helping develop future leaders within the field.
Beyond professional obligations, Mr. Thompson dedicates time to volunteering with St. John the Baptist Mary Vianney Church, where he contributes musically on guitar and vocals while managing technology platforms, including streaming services developed since the early 2000s. He is also an active supporter of Farm to Institution New England, Food Solutions New England, University of Vermont initiatives and other Northeast-based nonprofits focused on sustainable food systems.
Mr. Thompson’s accolades include being named a Master Chef by Worldchefs Ltd., receiving the Innovation Award from Senior Housing News for pioneering senior living hospitality standards with Phoenix3 Collective’s Restaura brand, and earning the Sustainable Pioneer Award at Long Island University for advancing regional sustainability efforts. His efforts at Restaura were instrumental in earning him the Innovation Award from Senior Housing News in 2025. Earlier on, Mr. Thompson achieved Eagle Scout rank through Scouting America, a foundational experience that instilled a lifelong pledge to give back more than he takes.
Mr. Thompson’s approach has been shaped by key mentors, including his first executive chef during his tenure with Newport Harbor Corporation, and inspired by his parents’ respective careers in nursing and computer science. This blend of influences fostered both technical proficiency and a deep sense of care that permeates his work today.
Looking ahead, Mr. Thompson is committed to transforming healthcare and senior living sectors by championing medically tailored meals under the “food is medicine” movement while promoting sustainable sourcing practices across broader food systems. His goal is to extend health spans for aging adults through nutrition-driven care models that prioritize food before pharmaceuticals.
For those entering the culinary profession today, Mr. Thompson encourages seeking out diverse experiences, embracing new ingredients or techniques wherever possible, and pursuing continuous learning across varied environments such as convention centers or hospitals alike. Through nearly 30 years dedicated to advancing culinary inclusivity, he continues shaping not only how people eat but how they relate culturally with food itself.
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