Representative Matt Birong of Vergennes, Addison County, Democrat, born in Burlington, Vermont and raised in the town of Essex. Representative Birong graduated from New England Culinary Institute with a degree in Culinary Arts. Over his 20+year career, he has worked in fine dining establishments in Manhattan, Boston and Burlington. Since 2007, Matt has been the Chef/Owner of 3 Squares Café, a casual eatery in Downtown Vergennes. With an eye toward locally-sourced food, Matt has spent his career helping build Vermont’s Farm to Table movement. Supporting Vermont’s strong agricultural heritage is a major part of his culinary philosophy. Matt is also a partner in Cacao Bosque/Reserva Zorzal, an agricultural project in the Dominican Republic. This project produces high-end cacao for award-winning chocolate makers while preserving/restoring migratory bird habitat, aiding neighboring farmers with organic/sustainable farming practices, and working with the global carbon sequestration market. In 2018, Matt was the education coordinator between Middlebury College, Reserva Zorzal, and their partner organizations for an immersive study abroad program. Matt serves on the board of directors for Counseling Services of Addison County, The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vergennes and Main Street Alliance of Vermont. Matt was a member of the Vermont delegation to the Democratic National Convention in 2016. Also, in 2016, Matt was named a Rising Star/ 40 under 40 by Vermont Business Magazine. He is married to real estate broker Danelle Lello Birong and they have one rescue pup, Luna.