About Us
Our Story
It started with a simple belief: everyone deserves to come home to a delicious, home-cooked meal - without spending hours in the kitchen.
Lovely's Take Home Chef was born from a passion for bringing people together around great food. We saw busy families juggling work, kids, and countless responsibilities, often sacrificing quality meals for convenience. We knew there had to be a better way.
So we set out to create something different. Fresh, chef-prepared meals made with locally sourced ingredients, delivered right to your door. No meal kits to assemble. No recipes to follow. Just real food, ready to heat and enjoy.
Every dish we create is crafted with the same care and attention we'd give to our own family's dinner table. Because at the end of the day, that's exactly who we're cooking for — families like yours.
Chef Mathew Lovely
Head Chef
For Chef Mathew Lovely, food has always been about connection. He has built a 30-year career around bringing people together over honest, homemade meals made from fresh, local ingredients.
Chef Matt’s love for cooking began while helping his dad at a beloved French bakery, learning learned the fine art of croissants, baguettes, and pastry dough. After earning a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University, he went on to cook, manage, and eventually own restaurants throughout Wisconsin and Michigan.
HONORS AND ACCOLADES
As owner and chef of Mathew’s Past & Present Inn in Cross Plains, Matt earned local acclaim and several awards, including Best Restaurant and Best Entrée honors from the Isthmus and The Capital Times. Later, he co-founded Simply Soup Co. in Madison, where his 200 made-from-scratch soups (yes, 200!) built a loyal following for his brand of comfort and nourishment.
VERSATILE AND CREATIVE
Over the years, Matt has led teams at catering companies, cafés, and corporate kitchens, including the Trek Bicycle Headquarters Café, where he served hundreds of flavorful, balanced and sustainably sourced meals a day.
Today, alongside his wife and business partner, Kristin, Matt is bringing that same passion for real food to Lovely’s Take Home Chef. Every recipe is crafted with care, using seasonal, locally grown foods and Wisconsin-made ingredients that taste as good as they make you feel.
MADISON IS HOME
When he’s not in the kitchen, Matt can be found cycling around Madison or spending time with Kristin and their daughter, Charlie, often testing new recipes together at home or finding fresh ingredients at the farmers’ market.
Good food, good people, and a love for local; that is Chef Matt’s everyday passion.
Our Values
Quality First
We never compromise on ingredients or preparation methods.
Community Focused
We support local suppliers and give back to our community.
Made with Love
Every meal is prepared with care and attention to detail.
Convenience
We handle the prep so you can enjoy more time with family.
Our Commitment to Quality
Locally Sourced
We partner with local farms and suppliers to bring you the freshest seasonal ingredients.
Made Fresh
Every meal is prepared fresh each week, never frozen, to ensure maximum flavor and nutrition.
Sustainable Practices
We use eco-friendly packaging and minimize waste in our kitchen operations.
Ready to taste the difference?
Browse our weekly menu and experience chef-prepared meals delivered fresh to your door.
View This Week's Menu