Matty Matheson & Mushrooms: The No-Nonsense Culinary Collab We Needed

Let’s be honest: when the Mushroom Council announced Matty Matheson as the face of their 2026 campaign, it was the culinary equivalent of a mic drop. The Emmy-winning chef, restaurateur, actor on The Bear, and all-around culinary legend isn’t just bringing his boisterous personality to the table, he’s serving up exactly what Gen Z and Millennial home cooks need right now: big flavor, zero fuss, and ingredients that actually work in real life.

Welcome to “It’s Not Magic. It’s Mushrooms.” The campaign that proves you don’t need to be a Michelin-starred chef to make food that slaps.

Why Matty Matheson? Because Nobody Keeps It Realer

If you’ve ever watched Matty cook, whether on his YouTube show Cookin’ Somethin’, on Netflix’s Just A Dash, or literally anywhere else, you know the guy doesn’t do pretentious. He’s loud, he’s practical, and he treats cooking like what it actually is: a way to feed yourself (and others) without losing your mind in the process.

That’s exactly why the Mushroom Council tapped him for this campaign. As Amy Wood, President of the Mushroom Council, put it: “Matty doesn’t overcomplicate food, and neither do mushrooms. His no-nonsense style mirrors the way people actually cook at home.”

And she’s right. Mushrooms aren’t the ingredient you need a culinary degree to understand. They’re the unsung hero of weeknight dinners, the umami bomb that turns boring into crave-worthy, and the functional food that doesn’t taste like cardboard. Throw them in a pan, they get better. Add them to literally anything, that dish gets better. It’s not rocket science, it’s mushrooms.

Matty’s involvement isn’t just about star power (though let’s be real, the man has plenty of it). It’s about credibility with the audience the Mushroom Council wants to reach: young adults who want convenience, flavor, and food that does more than just fill them up.

The Recipes That’ll Have You Reaching for the Fungi Aisle

Matty didn’t just lend his name to this campaign, he created three original recipes that showcase exactly how versatile and easy mushrooms can be. Each one is featured on an episode of his YouTube show Cookin’ Somethin’, so you can watch the magic (er, mushrooms) happen in real time.

1. Matty’s Crunchy Popcorn Mushrooms (Available Now)

Think popcorn chicken, but make it fungi. These bite-sized, golden, crispy mushrooms are seasoned to perfection and dangerously addictive. They’re the kind of snack you tell yourself you’ll just have a few of… and then suddenly the entire batch is gone.

Perfect for: Game day, parties, or when you’re pretending to meal prep but really just want to snack all afternoon.

2. Matty’s Spicy Mushroom Noodles (Launching February 22, 2026)

Slurp-worthy, spicy, and packed with umami-rich mushrooms, this dish is heat and depth in a bowl. It’s bold, it’s satisfying, and it’s the kind of meal that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with sad desk lunches.

Perfect for: When you need comfort food with a kick, or when you’re trying to impress a date without actually trying that hard.

3. Matty’s Cheesy Mushroom Breakfast Burrito (Launching March 8, 2026)

Chili-spiked mushrooms meet cheesy beans, runny eggs, and zippy green salsa in a handheld breakfast that’s worth setting an alarm for. This is not your sad gas station burrito: this is the breakfast burrito that makes mornings feel like less of a punishment.

Perfect for: Weekend brunch, meal prep Sundays, or any time you need to remind yourself that breakfast can be exciting.

As Matty himself said: “Mushrooms are one of those ingredients that add magic to every dish they’re in. They have a simple way of taking meals to the next level without asking you to learn fancy techniques. You throw them in, the dish gets better and you keep moving. There are no tricks and no fuss, just great flavor. What’s not to love?”

Mushrooms Aren’t a Trend: They’re an Everyday Staple

Here’s where this campaign gets smart. Instead of positioning mushrooms as some buzzy superfood that’ll be forgotten next year, the Mushroom Council is leaning hard into the idea that mushrooms are practical. They’re not asking you to overhaul your entire diet or learn molecular gastronomy: they’re asking you to throw some mushrooms in your stir-fry and see what happens.

And for Gen Z and Millennial audiences who are increasingly focused on functional foods: ingredients that deliver nutritional benefits alongside great taste: mushrooms check every box. They’re packed with umami, they’re low in calories, they offer vitamins and minerals, and they’re sustainable. Plus, they’re versatile enough to work in literally any cuisine. Tacos? Check. Ramen? Absolutely. Breakfast burritos? You bet.

This isn’t about following a trend. It’s about cooking food that tastes good, fits into your actual life, and doesn’t require a culinary degree to pull off. That’s the sweet spot the Mushroom Council is aiming for, and Matty Matheson is the perfect ambassador to get that message across.

What This Means for the Food & Beverage Industry

From a strategic standpoint, this campaign is a masterclass in knowing your audience. The food and beverage industry has spent years chasing trends: plant-based this, keto that, adaptogen everything. But what consumers actually want, especially younger ones, is simplicity, flavor, and convenience.

Mushrooms deliver on all three, and by partnering with someone like Matty Matheson: who has massive reach across YouTube, Netflix, social media, and beyond: the Mushroom Council is meeting their audience where they already are. They’re not trying to convince people mushrooms are cool. They’re showing them mushrooms are useful.

For restaurant operators, menu developers, and foodservice professionals, there’s a lesson here: authenticity wins. Consumers can smell a forced partnership from a mile away, but when the brand, the spokesperson, and the message all align naturally? That’s when magic (or mushrooms) happens.

If you’re looking for more insights on menu innovation and food trends shaping 2026, we’ve got you covered at Food & Beverage Magazine.

The Takeaway: Keep It Simple, Make It Good

At the end of the day, this campaign isn’t revolutionary because it’s complicated: it’s revolutionary because it’s not. Matty Matheson and the Mushroom Council are reminding us that great food doesn’t have to be fussy. It just has to be real.

Whether you’re a restaurant owner looking to refresh your menu, a home cook trying to level up your weeknight dinners, or someone in the food and beverage industry keeping an eye on what resonates with consumers, the message is clear: mushrooms aren’t going anywhere. And with Matty leading the charge, they’re about to be everywhere.

Ready to get cooking? Check out the first episode of Matty’s campaign on his YouTube show Cookin’ Somethin’ and head over to mushroomcouncil.com/itsnotmagic for all three recipes as they drop throughout the spring.

What’s your go-to way to cook mushrooms? Drop a comment below: we want to hear how you’re bringing the fungi magic to your kitchen or menu.

---

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.