Matt Haley

Partner

Over the past two decades, Matt Haley has created an empire of culinary excellence for the Eastern shore. The stable success of his endeavors convey just how well Matt knows the food business. His accomplishments have been the result of nothing more than sheer ambition, hard work and a clear, unwavering vision of how to create and maintain a lucrative business.

Born in Washington, DC as a middle child of five, Matt was raised by a single mother who taught him the basics of cooking at a young age. He developed an appreciation for simple, fresh cuisine and a taste for the flavors of the sea, courtesy of his summers at the beach - a foreshadowing of a career to come. In his teens, Matt continued to build his education by working in several restaurant kitchens. It was during this time that he decided the industry was his passion. Matt set lofty goals for himself, and then, as ambitious dreamers often do, he managed to achieve and exceed his goals, one by one.

In 1997, Haley opened his first restaurant, Tommy Joe’s in Bethesda, Maryland.  After wearing of the rigor of the city, he sold the restaurant and opted for the calmer atmosphere of Rehoboth Beach where he jointly opened and established The Third Edition in 1998. In 2001, Haley opened Bluecoast in North Bethany Beach, and proved his excellence.  Bluecoast was awarded four stars by the Delaware News Journal, was voted one of the “Top 10 Destination Restaurants” in the US by Attaché Magazine and received many positive reviews from the Washington Post. Invigorated, Matt opened Fish On in Lewes in 2004, followed by Ocean View’s Northeast Seafood Kitchen in 2005.  The success continued with Catch 54 Fish House & Marina in Fenwick Island in 2007, followed by Matt’s first Italian concept, Lupo di Mare, in downtown Rehoboth Beach. His latest venture, Betty’s: Pure and Simple, opened in the spring of 2010 in Lewes.

Haley and his restaurants have earned more than 30 “Best of Delaware” awards by Delaware Magazine, including “Best Chef” (downstate).  His hospitality company, SoDel Concepts, was named #6 of the fastest growing food and beverage companies in the nation by Inc. Magazine in 2009.

He is also president, acting board member, and advocate of multiple non-profit organizations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, including the Celebrity Chef’s Beach Brunch for Meals on Wheels, and the Rehoboth Summer Children’s Theater.  Also an activist in the arts, Matt recently produced the documentary “Hands of Harvest” which illustrates the struggles and fortitude of the men and women who fuel the crabbing industry on the Eastern Shore.  Seemingly tireless, in early 2010 Matt returned from visiting an orphanage in Nepal which benefited from an Atlanta charity event he participated in for the Himalayan Children’s Charities. 

Haley’s first love, however, remains food. He enjoys participating in his community through using his skill and teaching his craft. He continues to enhance and support his existing restaurants with food that his customers can relate to, featuring fresh, family-favorite dishes that often have a creative, contemporary twist. The simplicity and consistency of these businesses are what bring people back, along with a reliable staff that shines. Matt credits much of his success to his employees, who number over 450.