Matt Rainey

Executive Chef

Chef Matt Rainey’s career has taken him across the United States, and fortunately for Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, has brought him right back to where he started, 103 West.  Bringing with him a flair for Continental and French cuisine, Chef Rainey is striving to make each and every culinary presentation more impressive than the last.

As a young boy in Clearwater, Florida, Chef Rainey was first intrigued by the culinary world at age 12. Cooking for himself while his mother worked, he began to develop a passion for food and its preparation. He earned his Associates Degree in Culinary Art from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 1999, while also working as a line cook at 103 West at a time in which it was renowned as a full-service restaurant.  After graduation, Rainey’s career flourished. He perfected the finer points of American and Hawaiin cuisine as the head banquet cook at The Lodge of Koele, the number one resort in Hawaii. Following his career in the Pacific, Rainey became the sous chef at Toka Café in Washington, D.C., specializing in New American and French cuisine. His sous chef positions at Post Modern Brasserie and The Willard Room, both in Washington D.C., led him back to Buckhead Life in Atlanta. After spending two years as sous chef under Executive Chef Gary Donlick at Pano’s & Paul’s, Rainey was primed for his position as Executive Chef at 103 West, now Atlanta’s premiere private event destination.

After all his adventures, Rainey is glad to have returned to Buckhead Life. He says that it’s refreshing to be able to go to work each day and start from scratch with raw ingredients. Taking cues from Chefs Gary Donlick and Thomas Keller, his technique is clean and unique. He approaches his work in the kitchen with innovative ideas and a hands-on approach, never willing to settle for the mediocre. When people say it cannot be done, Chef Matt Rainey will make sure that it can. Striving to go the extra mile, he always thrives on a challenge.

Chef Rainey’s energy and creativity in the kitchen make him a perfect fit for 103 West. Capturing the personality and flavor of each unique event in the cuisine is a challenge that Rainey is prepared to accept. His ability to take raw ingredients and turn them into a culinary masterpiece proves his dedication and passion for the field. He is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for Buckhead Life Restaurant Group and is honored to be apart of such an Atlanta icon.

When he’s not in the kitchen, Chef Rainey can be found playing with sons Nicholas, 8, and Peyton, 3 at their home in Woodstock. Though his spare time is rare, he also loves to spear fish when he gets the opportunity.