Executive Chef Matt Kneeland
Barcelona New Haven
Chef Matt Kneeland’s path to the kitchen wasn’t exactly linear—but it always felt meant to be. He got his start in high school, working nearly every position in a local restaurant, from dishwasher to line cook. Though he began studying Business Administration, a timely nudge from a family friend brought him back to where he belonged: the kitchen.
Since then, he’s cooked in restaurants across New England, including under acclaimed chef Tony Camilleri, and served as the opening Executive Chef of a farm-to-table bistro with a Spanish menu rooted in local ingredients.
Matt joined Barcelona in 2017 as a Sous Chef in West Hartford, bringing with him a sharp eye for seasonality and technique. Now Executive Chef in New Haven, he continues to shape a menu that balances Mediterranean inspiration with a deep respect for what’s fresh, local, and flavorful.
