Gary Matsumoto

Private Chef and Food and Beverage Consultant (Los Angeles, CA)

Gary Matsumoto is a Los Angeles–based private chef and food-and-beverage consultant known for blending Asian and Japanese flavors with contemporary culinary techniques. His path to the kitchen began after earning a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Southern California, transitioning from a background in science to pursue a lifelong passion for food. He furthered his culinary education at Kapiʻolani Community College in Hawai‘i.

Matsumoto spent more than a decade with the Alan Wong's Restaurant Group, serving as both chef and general manager. He later oversaw high-volume hospitality operations as executive chef and director of food and beverage at the Hawaii Convention Center and served as chef de cuisine at BASALT in Waikīkī. Most recently, Matsumoto was executive chef of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC), where he curated events featuring visiting Japanese chefs and developed seasonal Japanese-inspired dining experiences for visitors and the broader community. (Instagram: @gmatsumoto512)