When father and son team Jeff and Joel Matthews opened their Expat Asia food stall in the Fresh and Local Market and Kitchens in Avenida back in 2018, it wasn’t with the intention of turning the business into a sit-down restaurant. The duo — who are both accomplished chefs with international experience — moved back to Calgary separately after Jeff (and by extension, Joel) spent decades living and working overseas, including a palate-defining stint in Indonesia. Once back in Canada, Joel was finding his own identity as a chef while his dad was attempting to retire, but they both yearned for the flavours of the foods that had become their staples while living in Asia.

“I grew up with rice and spices, not a lot of potatoes and gravy like all my cousins back here,” Joel says. “My comfort food

See Full Page