Hey, I’m Matthew Campbell, but pretty much everyone calls me Matt. I’m the kind of person who can talk about food like it is a sport, a love language, and a lifelong project all at once. I come from a big family where gathering around the table is not a special occasion; it is just what we do. That is probably where my food brain started.
Kumole is where I get to share the recipes and the real kitchen learning that happens behind them. Not the perfect, spotless-counter version. The actual version. The one where the sauce needs saving, the timing gets weird, and dinner still comes out great because you kept tasting and kept going.
My road was not straight
If you are looking for a neat, single-track career story, I cannot help you. My path has been more like a tasting menu. Different rooms, different roles, same theme.
- Museum assistant: where I learned patience, details, and how much the little things matter.
- Line cook at Moonshadows in Luray, Virginia: where the love of the culinary arts really clicked and I got hooked on the pace, the teamwork, and the satisfaction of nailing a plate during a rush.
- Cash office at Food Lion: a totally different angle on food and operations, and honestly a great crash course in responsibility and consistency.
- Pantry cook at Bella Luna Wood Fired Pizza in Harrisonburg, Virginia (2021): where I got deeper into execution, timing, prep discipline, and the kind of high-heat, high-flavor cooking that makes you respect simple ingredients.
Each job added something. Some gave me kitchen skills. Some gave me people skills. All of them taught me how to show up, learn fast, and do good work even when it is busy and not glamorous.
School and the long game
School has always been part of the plan, even as the plan itself evolved.
Food was the constant I kept coming back to, and I seriously considered culinary school early on. At the same time, I was drawn to the business side of food—how kitchens are staffed, how teams are built, and how systems stay functional under pressure. With that in mind, I began my college path at Lord Fairfax Community College (now Laurel Ridge Community College) from 2019 to 2021, with the goal of transferring into a four-year business program.
In 2021, I transferred to James Madison University, where I pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management. During my time at JMU (2021–2023), I also became involved with Phi Divided Sigma, an entrepreneurship-focused organization that emphasized leadership, accountability, and building ideas with real-world constraints. Academically, I focused on understanding how organizations work from the inside—people operations, management structures, and how teams perform under pressure—completing my coursework with sophomore standing.
To me, food and business have never been separate worlds. A great restaurant is not just about what’s on the plate—it’s about systems, people, training, culture, and leadership. That same lens shapes how I think about Kumole: clear processes, smart timing, and recipes that still work when real life gets loud.
Why I cook
Starting with my time at Moonshadows, I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, and working as a team. I like the rhythm of a kitchen, the problem-solving, and the moment someone takes a bite and you can tell you hit the mark.
And I love food that makes sense for real life. The kind of cooking that respects your time but still brings big flavor. Think smart prep, strong seasoning, and techniques you can reuse across a dozen meals.
What you will find on Kumole
Kumole is built for home cooks and hungry people who want recipes that actually work. You will see:
- Accessible recipes with clear steps and ingredients you can find without a scavenger hunt.
- Restaurant lessons made usable at home, like how to build flavor fast, how to fix a too-thin sauce, and how to time a full meal without panic.
- Flexible guidance, because you should be able to swap what you have and still land on something delicious.
- Weeknight favorites and repeatable basics, including sauces, pastas, pizza nights, and prep-friendly ideas that make the next meal easier.
If there is a through line to everything I share, it is this: cook with intention, taste as you go, and do not let perfection ruin dinner.
Let’s cook
If you are here because you love food, you are my kind of person. If you are here because you want to get better in the kitchen without being talked down to, even better.
Thanks for pulling up a chair. Now let’s make something worth repeating.