Matty’s Hot Chicken – Hamilton’s Newest Hot Chicken Joint!

When you think of Hamilton, you think of some pretty amazing food! But did you know there is an emerging trend here where the next generation of passionate chefs are already blossoming and ready to take on this crazy culianry world?

Let me introduce to you, Matthew Cipollo, 17 year old son of Chef Mike Cipollo, who is the ultra talented chef behind brands like Hambrgr, UnDefined and Lost + Found in South Western Ontario. Matthew have been working alongside his Dad in professional kitchens since he was 14 years old and aspires to be a chef as well!

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I recently chatted with the family about the conception of Matty’s Hot Chicken and this is a brief story of how it came to be. “It was Mattys’ dream to one day own his food truck! So, when Chef was allowed the opportunity to compete on Guys Grocery Games hosted by Guy Fieri – it was a no-brainer to use his winnings to help his son pursue his dream! Thus, Matty’s HOT Chicken was born, (Inc’d in early 2019) well before anything else came to be, but then the pandemic came along, which slowed us down, but didn’t stop us from working on Matty’s dream! Matt has been a part of this concept since its inception, and we’re so proud and excited to launch this brand in Hamilton and St.Catharines!”

Maybe it is the pandemic or just the general love for delicious fried chicken, but everywhere you turn, delicious fried chicken is satisfying bellies around the city. “Hot Chicken is on the rise and in this day in age, it’s just one of those crave-able foods that bring many much comfort
and joy! We saw there was an opportunity to bring the concept of “HOT chicken” to Hamilton and St.Catharines in a creative and interesting way that sets us apart from the rest!”

If you are not familiar with what Hot Chicken is, it is a type of fried chicken made popular in Nashville! Think deliciously marinated chicken fried to perfection, served with pickles, coleslaw and the usual fixings! And now, thanks to Matty, we don’t have to travel to get a taste of the south!

So, what is the MUST try item on their menu? “The Big Matt is definitely going to be a crowd favourite Sando! It’s a Double Piece Down South Style Chicken, Pimento Cheese, Smokey Bacon, Matty’s Sauce, House Pickles, and Iceberg! If you’re looking to feed more than just yourself our “Chicken For The Crew” is a great option! You can pick your heat level (Minimum 4 pieces per heat) with ranch and hot sauce for dipping! Depending on the number of pieces you order you will get your choice of “side pieces” which include Crinkle Cut Shake Fries, Yukon Gold Potato Salad, Tennessee Style Slaw, or a Country Kale Caesar.” Are you drooling yet? Because I am!!

So how do you get a hold of some hot chicken? If you are in the St.Catharines area, you can find them on UberEats and Skip the Dishes already. They are currently operating out of Lost+found Taqueria. Hamilton, hang tight, they are still working out some final details before they annouce a launch date. When they launch, they will be operating out of Undefined and you will be able to order through UberEats and Skip the Dishes as well. They are kitchen surfing until they find their permanent location in both cities!

If you don’t want to miss out on their launch in Hamilton, make sure you follow them on social media and turn on notification.

Thank you to the Cipollo family for sharing your story with me!