Chef Matt Basile spent over a decade disrupting the food industry as the founder of Toronto’s most recognizable food truck brand, Fidel Gastro’s, and popular gastropub, Lisa Marie. Today, as the co-founder of Alchemy Grills, he’s taking on a new frontier — disrupting the barbecue and live-fire cooking landscape. In an industry steeped in tradition, Basile is always striving to do things differently.
In just under four years, Basile transformed the Fidel Gastro’s brand from an underground sandwich pop-up to an internationally recognized food brand. With a background in creative advertising, he credits innovative thinking and an old-school work ethic for his success. Basile also ran the Queen West gastropub and brunch hotspot, Lisa Marie, for six phenomenal years. It was featured on various TV series, including You Gotta Eat Here! and Chef in the City, and was also ranked as a top 10 brunch spot in Canada by OpenTable magazine.
Today, Basile is part of a team of entrepreneurs who launched Alchemy Grills in 2023. The Alchemy is the first at-home barbecue to allow home cooks the option to smoke and grill food at the exact same time with one appliance. Basile’s role includes working with engineers and manufacturers as a subject-matter expert to ensure the best at-home cooking experience, plus overseeing all facets of the company involving culinary, content, and community.
Basile is also a creative restaurant consultant and in-demand public speaker who inspires and helps others build captivating brands. He has published two bestselling cookbooks, alongside his partner Kyla Zanardi, Street Food Diaries and Brunch Life, and works in the digital space as a content creator. He’s had the opportunity to work with several multi-national brands and create dynamic, original content across his various social media channels.
An experienced television host, Basile hosted the hit reality TV show, Rebel Without a Kitchen, which aired on Netflix, Travel and Escape Channel, the Cooking Channel, and the Asian Food Channel. It garnered him a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Host of a Canadian Reality Series. Basile is also a regular guest on programs such as Global Morning and Breakfast Television.
