Gala for Access and Education features Chef Matthew Cooper

Chef Matthew Cooper will open his new restaurant “Conifer” this summer—but first: he’s helping to prepare a delicious three-course dinner for TheatreSquared’s Gala for Access and Education.

Follow Chef Cooper on instagram— @cooper_chef and @coniferbentonville!

Chef Matthew Cooper is best known to those of us in Northwest Arkansas as the founding chef of the incredibly popular, James Beard-nominated restaurant The Preacher’s Son in Bentonville. A little over a year ago, however, he left his position there to open an ambitious new eatery called Conifer, scheduled to open over the summer of 2022. Conifer will continue Cooper’s goals of creating a completely gluten-free kitchen.

 Part of the reason for the shift was to create a work/life balance that would allow Cooper to work on community building, something he has been passionate about his entire life.

 “The Preacher’s Son was an amazing restaurant and still is,” he says. “But it was such a beast. I needed to be there all the time. I couldn’t go out and do all of the things that I was intended to do. I always joke about the fact that I’m 40 percent chef, 60 percent humanitarian. My sister works for the UN, my father was a minister for 50 years, my grandfather was, too—and that’s really where my focus is, growing people and growing the community through food.”

 So when he was approached by TheatreSquared to create a menu for their Gala for Education and Access—an annual celebration and fundraiser that attracts hundreds of attendees—he was thrilled to say yes.

“I knew that TheatreSquared has been a real asset to the Northwest Arkansas community for over 15 years now, and, through my wife's work and studies as a therapist, I know that the performing arts benefits our community way beyond just entertainment,” he says. “I'm also a fan of their outreach programs—in that way, I think their mission mirrors my own to build community in Northwest Arkansas."

 Cooper promises a delicious, spring-themed meal with delicious dishes that are deceptive in their simplicity.

 “With an event of this size, we really had to think about, ‘How do we elevate this event?’” he says. “So we're going to do a beautiful spring salad with a lot of fresh shaved vegetables in a really classic French vinegar dressing, which is going to be really nice. And then we're going to do a summer braised chicken—properly executed, the texture can be amazing— with some local mushrooms from Fat Top Farms to really elevate that dish. It’s going to be great. A beautiful mesquite chocolate cake with a fresh berry reduction will be dessert. So simple, but execution, prep, and a lot of technique go into the creation of all of these things—so people will definitely know that they’re getting an elevated dining experience.”

 Cooper’s commitment to building community is not only reflected in the work he’s doing for nonprofit organizations like TheatreSquared, but also it’s mirrored in every choice he’s made while developing Conifer, a name chosen for its relationship to sowing growth.

 “The concept of conifer is really about planting seeds,” he explains. “It’s really about planting the seeds of community.”

 Starting with its location: Conifer will be nestled into the community of Bentonville’s The Howard, a collection of luxury apartments located in the heart of the downtown area, just off the Razorback Greenway. The space—around 2,300 square feet, with seating for around 50—is open and airy.

 “It’s 100 percent open, so that you can see everything in the kitchen—like there's no place for anyone to hide,” says Cooper with a laugh. “Fifty percent of the space is the kitchen, not seating space. You’ll feel like you’re in the kitchen, because it’s right there.”

 Cooper also plans to dedicate around 200 square feet to a fresh market, open to residents of The Howard, as well as to the general public. This echoes Cooper’s practice at The Preacher’s Son of using his cachet as a high-profile chef to elevate local farmers.

 “This allows us to do two things,” says Cooper. “One: Bentonville desperately needs a local place to get local produce in one place year round, especially when the farmer’s market is closed. We have all these amazing people growing these things, and it gives the restaurant the opportunity to fulfill our vision of helping the farmers grow. We can bring all the smaller farmers that are doing just little things here and there, and we can slowly grow them through our farm stand. And two: We can use those things at the restaurant and always keep the most fresh, vibrant vegetables ready for people.”

 Cooper has also weaved community throughout the physical space by working with local carpenters and artisans to design facets of the restaurant.

 “We’ve got amazing people like Timbernak, who are building our live edge wood that will cover our entire expo line,” he says. “We’ve got people like Jesse at American Estates, who is building all of our tables. Rainy Bray, who is going to be making some of our plates. In each and every instance, we want to see the community tied into this space. I want them to feel a sense of ownership.”

 A part of Cooper’s own personal community will also be included—his daughter and wife will help him run the restaurant. But, then again, Cooper often comments that those working for him who aren’t technically related feel an awful lot like his family, as well.

 “My vision is to make sure that everyone that works for me has a plan for what they want to do —whether they want to stay here and do well financially, or whether they want to say, ‘Hey, Chef, I want to be able to do this in five years.’ And that's my goal, to have a career path for all of them.”

 For Cooper, this next venture in his career is so much more than a business; it’s the realization of a dream—a restaurant designed exactly as he wants it, a chance to spend more time with his family, and the natural progression of a community-minded focus that he hopes will make ripples, then waves, in Northwest Arkansas.

 “I hope I’m giving the community something it needs,” says Cooper. “And I think that's really important to say, because I'm not just opening a restaurant. I didn't just leave the restaurant named after me and a company that was good to me to just throw things out in the air. This is really about giving the community somewhere they can feel a part of.”

Tickets for T2’s Gala—voted one of the best in NWA—are selling fast, but are still available. Click here to purchase yours today!