Matt Davies lets us in to his #Cheflife

Renowned Business Group Executive Chef, Matt Davies, has let Essential Cuisine into his kitchen recently to give us an insight into his business empire.

Not content with overseeing an 80-strong brigade, spread across four sites in Staffordshire – 1000 daily covers, taking in everything from fine and modern UK and European cuisine, right through to country cooking and gourmet burgers – the passionate chef can also list mentor, competition judge and avid supporter of local cooking talent as unofficial job titles on his already impressive CV.

Allied to this, Matt has very recently been sworn in as Vice Chairman of the British Culinary Federation – a move that he’s been working up to throughout his long career behind the pass.

Talking about his brigade, the chef proprietor says ‘It’s all about the team, I think if you develop and work your business and put your aces in the places then you will get the best from them. I always say if you’re happy and treat your team well, they will look after you.’

Essential Cuisine’s #Cheflife series allows us to delve into the world of the chef, from the relentless shift hours endured to the additional supportive and ambassadorial roles that transpire from such industry success. As the Stock People are built up from chefs we truly understand the dedication and hard work that results in such accomplishments, therefore we aim to acknowledge this through #Cheflife.

Matt has been working with our makers of quality made British stocks, glaces and jus’ since he began first as Head Chef and then Group Executive Chef for the multi-award winning Lewis Partnership. He claims ‘The products are just so versatile, and give me peace of mind that I can deliver that ‘bang’ of flavour impact across our menus.” “I’ve worked in Michelin-starred kitchens all my life and never tasted anything so damn close to kitchen made – some are probably even better than what we can make.’

Over the years Matt has built up a strong relationship with our Development Chefs; ‘the support we get from Essential Cuisine’s development chefs is invaluable. In the last 12 months, we’ve had them in for two development days with our head chefs, to work together on bespoke solutions. Their support is fantastic – they can show us how the products can work in certain dishes, we learn from each other, it’s very organic.’