Connor Matts

Vegetable Manager

Connor Matts grew up in the great state of New Jersey where he discovered a love of food at a
young age. This led him to pursue a career in culinary arts which landed him at the Culinary
Institute of America (CIA) in the Hudson Valley of New York. During his studies there, he also
spent time at the CIA’s St. Helena campus in Napa Valley, CA where he completed a
concentration in Farm to Table and Sustainable Food Systems. Working in kitchens brought
Connor to places such as fine dining restaurants in Boston, Michelin starred establishments in
New York City, and even to the remote Katmai National Park in Alaska where he spent a
summer as a lodge cook.

While working in restaurants, Connor’s curiosity grew and he wanted to learn more about where
ingredients were coming from and about the food systems that feed local communities. Connor
then decided to move west to California to volunteer and eventually work for Apricot Lane
Farms, where he specialized in Pastured Poultry and Market Gardening. He then managed a
small farm in Malibu, CA that explored the relationships between regenerative farming, artistic
endeavors, and community building. He joined ACES as the Vegetable Production Manager at
Rock Bottom Ranch in the winter of 2026.

During his free time, you can find Connor trail running, rock climbing, hiking, camping, cooking,
and jumping in alpine lakes. In 2025, he also completed a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, a
2,650 mile backpacking trail running from the Mexican to the Canadian border through CA, OR,
and WA.