A Fond Farewell to our Favorite Foodie: Chef Matt

Matthew Ferry with Executive Director Mary Graham at his going away party.

After 16 years of dedication to Children’s Village and our nutrition program, Chef Matthew Ferry has left Philadelphia and will soon be leaving Children’s Village to manage his family’s property in North Carolina. 

Chef Matt started at Children’s Village in 2009 as a substitute cook and he quickly rose through the ranks–taking over the kitchen in 2013. Ever since, he has been a favorite of children, parents, and staff alike. Parents consistently mention in their feedback and reviews of our program how our meals have helped their children expand their palate and eat new foods. This is thanks in part to Chef Matt’s philosophy in the kitchen, which holds that early exposure to diverse flavors and global seasonings encourages children to try new foods and develop into well-rounded eaters as they age. During his time as Kitchen Administrator/Head Cook, Matt helped revamp our food program, making it a model throughout the city (and country)—as highlighted twice by articles in the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Over the past six months, Matt has been working with Stephanie Chisholm, supporting her in the new role of Head Cook/Nutrition Administrator. Stephanie has more than 20 years of experience in the Children’s Village kitchen and during this time of transition, she has proven to be a huge asset to the program. Additionally, we were fortunate to hire Nadirah Wilson in early July 2025 as an additional member of our kitchen team. Nadirah comes to CV with more than 6 years experience as the sole kitchen staff member for another early childhood program in Philadelphia.

Everyone will miss seeing Chef Matt at our center everyday, but he will always be like family to those of us at Children’s Village and we look forward to cooking for HIM when he visits us next.