Chef Matt Arnold, Part Two: Pride in KC barbecue and the value of a good cast-iron skillet

• Charles Ferruzza
• Chef Matthew Arnold is happy to be back in Kansas City.

It’s funny to think of Houlihan’s as having a swinging bar scene. But nearly 30 years ago, there was a cadre of hip drinkers with a cigarette in hand and a line at the ready. Matthew Arnold, now the executive chef at Webster House, remembers the scene at 95th and Quivira.

“It was like the movie, Cocktail,” Matthew Arnold says. Yesterday, he talked about his first job and his travels outside of Kansas City, while tomorrow he shares his vision for a proper plate of Southern food.