Photo by Chris Bassett

To say Matt McLinn takes a hands-on approach in his restaurant would certainly be an understatement.

As chef/owner of Scottsdale’s Méthode Bistro, which has been open for just over a year, McLinn is involved in most every aspect – he even painted, hung pictures and made window treatments in the space. “I’m very hands-on with all my guests and employees,” he says. “And that’s the way I’m happiest.”

Being so hands-on allows McLinn to keep his vision for Méthode alive, which is to offer diners high-end cuisine in a casual atmosphere at a reasonable price. The restaurant’s “cuisine of the Rivieras” features the cuisine of the Spanish, Italian and French Rivieras. But make no mistake, the Méthode menu also appeals to more pedestrian tastes with such items as pizzas, filet mignon and lobster.

For diners who want to try it all, McLinn offers an Outside the Box section of the menu, which features such exotic foods as mallard hearts and lamb tongue. “Some people who come in here are pretty adventurous,” he says. “They trust me, which is nice.”

And the best part is guests can walk away from their Méthode experience with their pocketbooks intact – a wonderful dinner for two can be enjoyed for under $100.

McLinn says that Méthode’s food has gone from good to great in the last year, thanks to his hardworking staff (the restaurant has retained its original crew it started with). "The restaurant is running more smoothly since our opening," says McLinn. "We can host all types and sizes of events with ease and fluidity. As our service has improved our food has become more complex but can be enjoyed by people with different tastes and palates."

In the Valley restaurant scene, it sounds like McLinn’s Méthode is exactly what diners are looking for.

CLOSE-UP
with Chef/Owner
Matt McLinn

After attending culinary school in San Francisco, McLinn spent time in France studying under the likes of Dominique Bouchet and Alain Ducasse and spent time in California helping launch some of Los Angeles' most exclusive restaurants. He says it has always been his dream to open his own restaurant and with the help of his two partners – David Berntzen and David Hershey.Now that dream has become a reality.

The reality is Méthode Bistro- centrally located, family friendly with a warm, inviting atmosphere that appeals to guests wanting an enjoyable dining experience that, to date, hadn't previously existed in Scottsdale. Chef McLinn cooks with olive oil instead of butter and his broths are made with aromatic teas instead of heavy sauces and creams. Seasonal fresh herbs and vegetables are chosen from local farms. The result are dishes low in fat but high in taste indicative of true Mediterranean cuisine. Open just over a year, Chef McLinn's Méthode Bistro has a strong local following which includes many of the Valley's top Chefs enjoying his cuisine during "industry night" on Sundays.

And McLinn is having such a great time with Méthode that he’s sure it won’t be his last restaurant. “I see myself with two or three Méthode-type restaurants in the future and then maybe starting a new concept,” he says.

Q&A

Q: What have become the most popular dishes at Méthode Bistro?
A: The most talked about dishes have been items in the Outside the Box section of the menu which contains such exotic dishes as squab confit and basil fed snails.

Q: Has there been anything that has surprised you in terms of what your vision of the restaurant was and what it has actually become?
A: I’m really surprised by how well the restaurant has taken on its own chemistry. It really is happening the way I planned. Méthode is fun, yet comfortable and beautiful.

Q: Is there anything new you’re planning on trying in the coming year?
A: In the spring, we created an outdoor patio so that our guests could enjoy dining al fresco as well as enjoy exciting wine dinners which we hope to start this fall. In additiion, we have set up the restaurant in such a way that I can be in the dining room actually finishing dishes for the guests as they watch. It’s more of a show that way, and I’ll have more personal interaction with our guests.