This installment features a Q&A with international award-winning Chef Matthew Nolot, who recently opened the first farm-to-fork restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Growing up in the Midwest, farms were everywhere. While New York restaurants have embraced locally sourced ingredients for some time, that movement has only recently begun to take root in Indiana.
When I heard a new restaurant in downtown Fort Wayne was sourcing its ingredients from nearby farms, I was eager to try it on my next visit.
We had a beautiful dinner at Tolon — easily the best meal I’ve had in Fort Wayne and on par with many restaurants we frequent in New York.
The menu was thoughtful and enticing. Between seven adults and a four-year-old, we ordered nearly everything. I couldn’t resist the deviled eggs, scallops verde, or a refreshing stone fruit mule.
The meal was phenomenal and a big hit with my family. My son loved the sweet tea fried chicken with cornbread waffle. I even tried rabbit for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. Tolon absolutely nailed duck fat fries served with duck egg, basil aioli, and smoked salt — not gamey at all, and the aioli was something I wanted to put on everything. The salmon entrée I ordered was outstanding.
I returned a few days later to spend time in the kitchen with Chef Matthew Nolot to learn how Tolon came together and to watch him cook (recipe coming soon).
Big Flavors: How did you get into cooking?
Matthew: I started cooking because I needed a job. I needed a job because I wanted a car, and I wanted a car because I wanted a girlfriend. It all seemed connected in high school — the cool kids with cars had girlfriends.
Big Flavors: Where was your first cooking job?
Matthew: At a small local place called Ernie’s Steakhouse. The food wasn’t great, but we made our own steak seasoning, fries, and breaded onion rings. That taught me a lot about basic kitchen processes.
Big Flavors: Did you go to culinary school, or was your training on the job?
Matthew: All on-the-job learning. I read a lot and learned from resources online and kept pushing myself to learn constantly.
Big Flavors: How do you get inspiration for new recipes?
Matthew: Mostly from the seasons and farmers markets. I use cookbooks and magazines, but seasonal produce really drives what I create. That’s a big reason we opened Tolon — to work with seasonal ingredients and let the harvest dictate the menu rather than letting diners dictate what’s available.
Big Flavors: And it tastes so much better when it’s in season!
Matthew: Oh yeah, absolutely.
Big Flavors: How do you choose the farmers and purveyors you work with?
Matthew: Many came to us after they heard we were opening, but we did a lot of initial hunting. Buying locally in Fort Wayne wasn’t common for restaurants, and producers weren’t used to supplying the volume a restaurant needs. Today we work with three different Indiana beef purveyors and several local farms. Word of mouth among farmers has helped build our network; they recommend us to each other, and produce suppliers are now approaching us directly.
Big Flavors: Tell me about the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival — your wife mentioned you’ve won twice and are returning to defend your title.
Matthew: Garland sponsors the event and invites chefs from around the world. It’s filmed a bit like a larger Chopped: three 45-minute rounds, ten chefs, and a limited pantry. You must use at least three of five given shellfish in each dish. Ingredients change yearly and are sourced from Prince Edward Island, so you don’t know what you’ll get until you arrive. It forces you to be creative under pressure.
Big Flavors: So you don’t know the ingredients ahead of time?
Matthew: Right. One year an instructor brought 20 pounds of chanterelles and said, “use these.” It becomes an exciting challenge.
Big Flavors: And every year you’ve gone, you’ve won?
Matthew: Yes — winners are invited back, and they bring in new chefs each year. The diversity of cooking styles from around the world keeps it interesting. My approach has often surprised the judges; I try to present familiar ingredients in unexpected ways, like chicken-fried lobster with crab waffles.
Big Flavors: That sounds incredible. How did you handle the technical challenges, like leavening without ovens?
Matthew: It was inventive. For example, the waffles had no chemical leaveners and there were no ovens — only two burners. I aerated batter with an iSi canister to create CO2 for lift, then griddled quickly so it browned and held its shape. It was a fun challenge.
Big Flavors: What three ingredients do you always keep in your home kitchen?
Matthew: Fish sauce — I prefer a premium brand I rely on because it’s richer and more complex — and a hot sauce, like Crystal, which I use often. And some sort of vinegar; lately I’ve been using champagne and white balsamic vinegars a lot.
Big Flavors: What’s the last thing you cooked for yourself at home?
Matthew: I don’t cook much at home, but recently I made spaghetti with butter and basil — very salty, rich butter, and fresh basil. Simple comfort food that hit the spot.
Big Flavors: Any tips to make cooking at home less intimidating?
Matthew: Avoid baking if you’re uncomfortable, or follow baking recipes exactly and use ones that provide weights. Using a scale removes a lot of human error. I’ve considered converting our kitchen to weights-only; it’s harder at first, but it speeds things up and reduces waste.
Big Flavors: Will Tolon have a website?
Matthew: Yes, we are working on it and recently photographed the space. We had a small opening budget and did a lot of the build-out ourselves — I even installed the floors and helped build the back bar.
Big Flavors: Do you feature local spirits?
Matthew: Definitely. We use local distilleries from Ohio, Indiana, and some from Michigan. We feature products like Freshwater rum from Lake Michigan and locally made vodkas, gins, and bourbons when available. Many pantry items are local too — sorghum, maple syrup, honey, eggs, black-eyed peas, lettuces, and most proteins (except seafood) come from Indiana.
Big Flavors: What do you hope for Fort Wayne’s food scene in the coming years?
Matthew: I think Fort Wayne is catching up to where Chicago was about 15 years ago. We’re starting to see more adventurous food here — items once considered “hipster” like bone marrow, pork belly, and pork rinds are now being accepted. I hope more unique, offbeat concepts open, creating a cluster of restaurants that feed off each other and attract people downtown.
Big Flavors: The downtown scene has really improved — more restaurants, coffee shops, and creative options when we visit.
Matthew: Yes. The past couple of years have seen a lot of growth. We wanted an urban space rather than a strip center — a place people can walk or bike to and feel like part of the neighborhood.
Thanks to Matthew and Nicky Nolot and their team for their hospitality and for sharing a look at their culinary work.
Tolon is located at 614 S Harrison Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Stay tuned for the recipe for Chef Matthew’s dessert — Strawberry Basil Shortcake with Corn-Lime & Ricotta Biscuits and Buttered Popcorn Whipped Cream — and a look at how it turned out when I made it in my kitchen. Spoiler: it was absolutely incredible.
UPDATE: Part two with the recipe is available on the site.