Matt Pelton grew up in central Utah, where he found his love for cooking in the outdoors. He learned to cook outdoors in a Dutch oven at the age of 8 years old and has done it ever since. Matt lived in Boston for a couple of years where he expanded his cooking abilities, learning to cook foods from all different cultures around the world. During this time, he gained an appreciation for food and culture and the ability of food to connect people. In 2012 and 2013, Matt won two world championships from The International Dutch Oven Society. He has also won many awards for his BBQ cooking within the KCBS pro division, especially in the brisket category. Matt has twice competed in the invitational World Food Championships aired on TV, where he placed 3rd and 11th, respectively. Matt has appeared on TV numerous times for cooking; most recently, he was featured on the Travel Channel's “BBQ Crawl season 3”. Matt has also worked as a chef at Deer Valley ski resorts in Utah, often working with the other chefs there on proteins. Matt has three children, Megan, Tristan, and Braxton and resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has published a number of cookbooks, including Cooking Under Pressure: Delicious Dutch Oven Recipes Adapted for Your Instant Pot®, Cast Iron Gourmet, and Up in Smoke: A Complete Guide to Cooking with Smoke.