The Chef
A little bit gourmet, a little bit rock 'n' roll — Chef Matt Fish caters to the funky, friendly and unpretentious at Cleveland favorite Melt Bar and Grilled. In short, this guy is the mastermind behind Cleveland’s now-famous grilled cheese sandwiches on steroids.
Winner of more than 30 awards — including accolades from "USA Today" and "Esquire" — musician and chef Fish is a Cleveland icon with his grilled cheese mecca Melt Bar and Grilled.
A professional chef for more than 20 years and grilled cheese fan for life, Fish first opened Melt in Lakewood in 2006 to establish an eatery that specialized in craft beer while offering unique spins on America’s favorite sandwich. The menu changes regularly, but Fish always makes Clevelanders proud with signature dishes that are a love letter to his hometown.
Fish is committed to serving fresh, high-quality ingredients from scratch in a comfortable atmosphere that he describes as “comfort food dressed up.” He has received his share of national limelight after visits from Guy Fieri on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" and Adam Richman on "Man v. Food."
The Biz
The restaurant, now open in 11 locations, recently branched out to Canton, Columbus, Dayton and Cedar Point. With the new locations came new accolades. Melt was included on the 2017 "Inc." 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Fish was a 2017 Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” finalist and won the Small Business Association's “2015 Ohio Small Business Person of the Year.”
The Food
Signature dishes include the Parmageddon, filled with cheddar, sauteed onion, vodka kraut and potato pierogis; and The Dude Abides, which comes stuffed with provolone and romano, homemade meatballs, fried mozzarella, basil marinara and roasted garlic.
There are plenty of vegetarian- and vegan-friendly interpretations including the Big Popper with fresh jalapeño peppers smothered in cheddar and herb cream cheese (which can be substituted for vegan cheeses) that’s deep fried, dusted with powdered sugar and served with berry preserves for dipping. More than a decade later, Fish’s goliath-sized innovations are what keep everyone coming back for more.