Co-Owner Perry Smith Splits With Matchbox Food Group

Restaurateur Perry Smith has stepped away as co-owner of the Matchbox Food Group and has formed a holding corporation as he takes time off and researches future options. The split has been in the works for some time, apparently, and Smith explains that the Matchbox group has gotten to such a stable place operationally — with plenty of Matchbox and Ted's Bulletin expansions still in the works that he felt comfortable leaving.

Smith will continue travel to the likes of Europe, the South, New York and Philadelphia for inspiration, explaining "I'm going to get out of the market for a little bit to look at different ideas and different things and see what's happening out there. And then obviously see how it ties back into this being the home base. But really it's going to be a fun R&D journey here for awhile."

So does that mean he'll be launching another new restaurant sometime in the future? Well, maybe. Smith says that's a possibility, but he adds that he has a lot of hospitality-related ideas he's exploring for the future. He's also exploring a hospitality-related benefit corporation, a corporation that must have social benefits: "Whatever happens next, I want it to have a positive impact. I'm going to be patient to make sure that happens."

· Matchbox [Official Site]
· All Previous Perry Smith Coverage [-EDC-]

[Photo: R. Lopez]