We’re continuing our series on The RAMMYs Rising Culinary Star of the Year award finalists to see what they're cooking up and why they deserve to win. Next up, Chef Matt Sperber.
Chef Sperber oversees the kitchen at Any Day Now, a collaboration between him and restaurateur Tim Ma that has become a destination for creative comfort food in the District. Sperber worked in D.C. restaurants like Momofuku CCDC and The Salt Line since 2018, but has been cooking for over a decade.
Culinary Style
Sperber’s specialty is in butchery and sausage production, and it can be seen all over the menu at Any Day Now. All of the bacon and sausage is made in-house, as well as the beef terrine used in their burger. He also admits he has a soft spot for cheese production and insists on the restaurant making all its own yogurt and cheeses.
What’s On the Menu?
If you get one thing at Any Day Now, Sperber recommends the burger. The burger patty is made with a panade of panko breadcrumbs, cream, cheese, and minced onion, served on a scallion pancake and a secret sauce with wasabi. “I stand by our burger, I strongly believe it's one of the best and most unique in the city,” said Sperber. And we would have to agree.
Lunch spread at Any Day Now. (Courtesy of photosbybirch)
One City To Rule Them All
Upon moving to D.C. from South Carolina, Sperber was struck by how diverse our food scene is. “You see lots of different types of food, chefs, and types of service,” said Sperber. But, not only are the restaurants more diverse, but restaurant-goers are more adventurous. “I’ve never had a customer say, ‘This is too weird.’ So, I would say the Washingtonian palette is very open and curious.”
In It To Win It
Sperber says the RAMMY award would be a culmination of over 13 years working in kitchens. “It felt like, ok this is finally starting to pay off,” says Sperber. But, more than that, he says the award would be a win for all the staff at Any Day Now. “When they told me, I looked at the staff and immediately thought, ‘I am so grateful they have stuck by me.’ This is for them too,” said Sperber.
😋 Inside Scoop: Where In DC Is Sperber Eating?
Petworth ramen shop Menya Hosaki is Sperber’s holy grail. “The line is consistently around the block. And they’re only open three and a half days a week. As a chef, I respect it so much.” But when he’s not slurping ramen he loves La Famosa. And for something fancy, the Dabney or Amazonia are his go-to’s.
Read the first interview in this series with RAMMY Rising Culinary Star nominee Masako Morishita.
