CLAWSON, Mich. – Chef Matt Prentice, of the Three Cats restaurant in Clawson, has died at the age of 62.
“It is with great sadness we announce the death of Chef Matt Prentice, who succumbed after a brief non-COVID related illness,” the restaurant said in a statement. “Prentice was a passionate, generous and creative force whose love of service was made evident by the kitchens he created and the beautiful food he so lovingly prepared.”
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Prentice was a Detroit native and worked at many restaurants in the area, including Coach Insignia, Northern Lakes Seafood, Shiraz, Morels, Duet, No. VI Chophouse, Plaza Deli and others.
He was also known for generosity toward many charities and working closely with the Reverend Faith Fowler and Cass Community Social Services. The Detroit-based nonprofit organization provides housing, food, health services and job training, and under his direction, the kitchen he created there serves more 700,000 meals per year, according to Three Cats.
“Matt taught our staff to cook from scratch,” Fowler said. “He taught me how to recognize hospitality and practice generosity,. We are heartbroken by this news and we will always be grateful to Matt for his friendship and talents.”
“There is an enormous empty spot at Three Cats,” said Mary Liz Curtin, who partnered with him to create Three Cats. “Matt was a big man with an enormous heart, a loud laugh and a generous spirit. He was a wonderful teacher, a great mentor and an unbelievable cook. All of us at Three Cats thank him and are proud to be a Matt Prentice restaurant. We will always serve his favorite recipes, and there will always be mushrooms on the menu.”
Prentice will be succeeded in the Three Cats kitchen by Drew Cayuela and Alex Matoin.