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CHEF Matt Healy
Restaurant/Café:
The Foundry
Location:
1 Saw Mill Yard, Leeds, UK
Facebook:
@MHFoundry
Twitter:
@matty2stone
Instagram:
@MHFoundry
Yorkshire born chef, Matt Healy brought his passion for food home to Leeds (his fave city) after coming runner-up on Masterchef: The Professionals in 2016. From the opening of Matt Healy x The Foundry, his success story continued with the foundation and expansion of Gron Kafes and his takeover of The Beehive pub. His venues offer delicious creative food in a relaxed environment with a warm and attentive team. Welcome to our first Chef of Chef Works in 2020…
Chef Matt wearing his Galveston Cross-Back Bib Apron and Springfield Essential Chef Coat.
1. Your restaurant/role:
Matt Healy x The Foundry in Leeds, The Beehive x Thorner, Gron Kafes in Leeds and York, UK.
2. Describe your kitchen:
Compact but easily manageable thanks to the fantastic team.
3. Favourite Chef Works item and why?
The Chef Works aprons – there’s a really great range and the styles suit our brands.
4. First job:
Pot Washer at Fat Francos in Horsforth (now Banyan), Leeds 23 long years ago!
5. Favourite cookbook:
Tapas Tickets Cuisine by Chef Albert Adria, Head Chef at Tickets in Barcelona.
Oyster Ramen and Tomato Tartare with Smoked Tomato Jam on Sourdough
Matt’s take on Fish & Chips; Cod with Curry Sauce and Crispy Potatoes.
6. Your awards:
Michelin Plate and listed in the Good Food Guide, Briton’s Best Roast award by Unilever, Best Newcomer at the Yorkshire Life Food & Drink Awards 2018 and Eat Awards 2018, Best City Centre Restaurant at the Oliver’s 2019 and shortlisted for Best Chef & Best Fine Dining in the Oliver’s 2020…
7. Your cooking inspiration:
Chef Stuart Tattersall at the Gunton Arms in North Norfolk, UK and Chef Simon Shaw of El Gato Negro (Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester), UK.
8. Your speciality dish:
Beef Tartare, served with a Cheese & Onion Toastie.
9. Favourite dish to eat:
The Simon pizza from Grumpys in Farsley, UK.
10. Weirdest thing you ever ate:
The food at Noma in Denmark, including fermented yeast bread and foraged ants…
11. Favourite ice cream flavour:
Northern Bloc Vegan Chocolate and Orange Blossom.
Chalk Stream Trout with Charred Cucumber.
12. Favourite drink:
Red Wine.
13. Favourite wine:
Gevrey-Chambertin, a village in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits district in France produces some of the world’s most prestigious reds.
14. Who would you most like to cook for?
The Queen – she’s class!
15. And who would you least like to cook for?
Rude customers.
16. Favourite things to do when not cooking:
Spend time with my partner Holly and our three dogs.
Salt-aged Beef Fillet with Celeriac and Bone Marrow.
17. Your latest project:
Expanding Gron Kafes across the North of the UK.
18. Favourite city?
Leeds, for obvious reasons (it’s my home town & it’s class).
19. Your greatest indulgence?
See wine questions above…
20. And finally, your all-time best culinary tip?
Listen & be dedicated. You’ll go far if you do.
Photos of Chef Matt:
Steve Bootle.
Food photography:
Will Stanley. If you wear Chef Works and would like to feature, please email: marketing@chefworks.co.uk