All photos of Matt Hutchins are from his Instagram, @buttermilkjack.

Matt Hutchins was a game-changing culinary icon during a time of culinary renaissance that defined Beacon. That time period could be likened to when DIA:Beacon opened in the old Nabisco box printing factory and changed the trajectory of Beacon’s art and design scene. Matt, known as Matty to friends, passed away Saturday June 28, 2025 at age 51.

ALBB did not know him personally, but he regularly appeared as the chef in several new restaurant openings, so he was often in our articles. Regional food magazines are most likely going to devote a few pages to this culinary creative. Matt presented as: “A dreamer, chef, musician, vintage and vinyl enthusiast, forager, and earnest knucklehead,” reads his Instagram. A graduate of the Culinary Institute, he was also from the south.

He first appeared on ALBB’s radar when he was part of the opening of The Hop. Says beverage industry veteran and Beacon resident, Lynnette Marrero in Imbibe who designed cocktails for The Hop: “When a local beer bar called The Hop opened in 2012, things started to change. It really opened the local scene to craft, even evolving to have a small cocktail menu.” Food-wise, it was described as “country French with Southern inflection” at Upstater.

Prior to The Hop, in 2010, Matt was chosen as the chef for Birdsall House.

When The Hop announced its unexpected closure in October 2016, local journalist Brian Cronin of the Highlands Current declared: “It was the social-media equivalent of an earthquake on the east end of Beacon’s Main Street.” ALBB wrote about it here. The team at The Hop went on to create other establishments, like bar manager and former dolly grip in LA, John-Anthony Gargiulo, who opened Hudson Valley Brewery.

From January - April 2017, Matt was the first executive chef for the opening of the renovated Beacon Hotel (revisit that history and major renovation here).

When Mama Roux opened at 96 Broadway in Newburgh in November 2019, Matt described the flavor as: “deep South with some Cajun influences, Creole, and country French” in the Times Hudson Valley.

By at least December 2022, Matt snuggled into Dogwood, owned by George Mansfield (retired and current City Councilmember), which is now Cooper’s. Under Matt at the Dogwood, his menu was wide-ranging: “@buttermilkjack (aka chef Matt Hutchins) is rolling out his new expanded Dogwood menu tonight. there really is something for everyone now, so what are you waiting for? come on out to @dogwoodbeacon for some of what has now got to be the best bar food in town.”

Matt continued on at Quinn’s, also currently owned by George Mansfield (again…returning to it after not owning it for years) by where Matt spread out musically.

Local friends have been mourning and expressing their unexpected grief. Food photographer Meghan Spiro said in her Instagram: “Sometimes we crossed paths in business while I captured your dishes, but more often, we found ourselves late night at Quinn’s - catching up on each of our hopes and dreams, reminiscing on southern family recipes, and encouraging each other to always be better humans.

Food photographer and painter Meghan Spiro responds to Matt Hutchin’s passing.

“I can’t believe you’re gone, Matt. I just saw you and said “see you later” and not goodbye. I’m not ready. I thought we had more laughs, more collaborations.

“You were a maverick in the community and put Beacon on the map as a culinary destination over a decade ago. You packed so much flavor in your life and your food and your music. The force was always strong with you.

“You have a whole community in mourning. None of us were ready.”