When it comes to fraternity houses, one of the best parts is the commercial kitchen.

Samantha and Matt Collins, owners and founders of Happy Valley Home Cookin’ (HVHC), began working directly with Penn State fraternities just over 10 years ago. Being a former Phi Kappa Psi brother, Matt Collins knows the importance of having a good meal in the house.

The couple met in 2003 while at Penn State studying Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management. Upon graduation, the two moved to Jacksonville, Florida, but realized Happy Valley was where they were meant to be.

“We decided as we were getting married in 2010 that Penn State was a nice place to come back and call home,” Matt Collins said. 

Back in Centre County, Samantha Collins was managing a branch of Red Lobster and Matt Collins took a job with Nittany Co-Op, which matches vendors with Greek life, non-profits, student organizations, and more. As he was sitting in on pitch meetings to fraternities about culinary opportunities, he realized that this could be a successful business in State College.

“Things [had] just gone from a moment of, ‘Wow, this sounds like a good idea, people would really like this,’ to, ‘Wow, we can do this ourselves, let’s just go after it,’” Matt Collins said. 

Since they could not stay an extension of Nittany Co-Op as a for-profit business, the Collins came together and officially formed Happy Valley Home Cookin’. Within a few days, they had a website and circled back to pitch those same fraternities.

Now, they serve eight to 10 fraternities every semester, supplying each with a private chef, a business manager, and a full, customizable weekly menu.

“Our goal is to place chefs to be in a place for as long as possible,” Matt Collins said. 

Each chef works a 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule where they serve lunch and dinner while acting as a member of the house every day. Most chefs even get on a first-name basis with the brothers.

“It marries the back of house and front of house ideas with being able to cook food, but also meet your customer and get the thank you, and build a relationship,” Matt Collins said.

The chefs even get the recognition of parents when they visit. Samantha Collins also had a similar encounter when a mom asked her how she got her son to eat salad and like it.

“The best part is that relationship of getting to know individual guys and to have our chefs shaking hands and getting hugs from moms and dads at a parent’s weekend,” Matt Collins said. “Those moments are the absolute best.”

The staff within HVHC also share a family dynamic, with one of their executive chefs celebrating his 10th anniversary with the company in October. While they care about one another, every member has also grown a deep relationship with the housemates.

“Everyone that works for our company, including ourselves, feel as if we have 300 or 400 boys of our own, that we don’t have to put to bed every night, but we take care of,” Samantha Collins said. 

The chefs can also be responsible for feeding hundreds of brothers a week for multiple meals, and some of the classics and fan favorites from the menu are chicken parmesan and General Tso’s chicken.

Chef Chad, a chef at HVHC, even labeled the taco bar “Chad-potle” at his house, which the fraternity he serves has loved ever since. But, the menu can also be made into anything the fraternity chooses, labeled “brothers choice” night.

Matt Collins, who described himself as a picky eater during his college days, wants to make sure that every brother can have something to eat whenever they are hungry. This goes along with the main goal for the Collins, which is making their constituents happy and keeping their established chefs and meal plans around for years to come.

“We are proud to know that we are doing good and making sure that food is better for all of the fraternities at Penn State,” Matt Collins said.

No matter who the Collins are serving, their driving force will always be their love for Happy Valley.

“We are local Penn State people who care about Penn State more than anything,” Matt Collins said.