An interview with Matt Tebbutt
Chef and TV presenter Matt Tebbutt chats Christmas, sustainability and his favourite foods
Cheering us up with fantastic recipes from the Saturday Kitchen Live set every weekend, it's no exaggeration to say Matt Tebbutt is among the nation's best-loved chefs. With a fantastic career spanning top kitchens and some of the most-loved cooking shows, Matt has always championed seasonal cooking, local ingredients and classic, delicious recipes made better with a few innovative twists.
With sustainability higher on the agenda than ever, Matt has teamed up with UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers to promote the benefits of cooking with locally sourced ingredients, especially mushrooms, and highlight the impact of food miles some of our festive favourites can rack up by the time they hit the table on Christmas Day.
What sparked your interest in food and cooking?
It was during our family caravanning holidays in northern France, when I was introduced to big bowls of moules and mushrooms drenched in garlic butter. I also grew up cooking traditional dishes with my mum and nan. Then when I went to uni, I really got into cooking fancy dishes for my student mates and realised that I wanted to be a chef above all else.
Courtesy of The UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers
Which chefs that you've worked with have inspired you?
I started out working for Marco Pierre White, which was a real baptism of fire! And then I spent time in the kitchens of Sally Clarke, Bruce Poole and Alastair Little. I stayed with Alastair for quite a few years and really honed my cooking skills in his kitchen. I still make Marco’s apple tart tatin and Sally’s chocolate truffles. But Alastair’s no-frills cooking has probably inspired me the most.
How did you end up on TV as a presenter?
By accident really. A top restaurant reviewer visited my restaurant in Wales, gave us a great review and then suggested me for The Great British Menu.
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Do you have a dream TV show you'd like to do?
I would have loved to have been involved with shows like The Galloping Gourmet or Keith Floyd... I think we need to bring all that back. I’d like to do I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. I’ll eat anything and don’t mind bugs, but maybe when it's back in Australia rather than in my home country of Wales.
Your Christmas campaign with the UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers is all about sustainability – why is that important to you?
While I love to use mushrooms in my cooking, I also wanted to highlight the importance of having a more sustainable Christmas by purchasing local, seasonal ingredients to use in festive dishes.
There are simple food swaps we could be making to ensure our Christmas meals are more sustainable. Many of us are unaware that the produce we purchase over the festive period travels hundreds of miles from oversees to reach our plates. For example, I always buy a traditional breed, British hatched, free-range turkey which is not only a welfare choice, but it tastes so much better too.
Mushrooms are widely used at Christmas time and travel far fewer miles to reach our plates in comparison to some classic Christmas produce and they are grown in the UK and Ireland all year round.
Courtesy of The UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers
Try Matt's chestnut mushroom Benedict
Do you have any tips for people looking to have a more eco-friendly Christmas?
The main thing is to source locally from markets or farms, or if you’re buying from a supermarket then check the labelling to find out where the food has come from. Use your local butcher if you have one, ours sells locally sourced and grass-fed meat. Experiment with making your own breads and pastries – it’s great fun, especially with the family.
With notable rise in plant-based cooking, do you think that's something people can incorporate at Christmas?
For many people, Christmas will always involve a turkey and all the trimmings but it doesn’t mean that those trimmings can't include mushroom dishes and other great tasting veggies. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t place more emphasis on delicious, home-grown vegetables as a food hero to our festive dishes, rather than just as a side dish.
I find myself cooking more vegetarian food these days as lots of customers request it. I believe people are also starting to think more about where their food comes from and are trying to source local, sustainable food, so I’m sure there will be plenty of veggies on the table in many households this year.
These are our top vegetarian and vegan Christmas recipes
Why do you like cooking with mushrooms?
Mushrooms are so versatile because of their great texture and good availability. They also cleverly absorb whatever flavours you throw at them. I think mushrooms are an ideal alternative to the usual meat options at Christmas if you are vegetarian or vegan, or just cutting down on processed and imported meat.
With their unique texture and umami flavour, mushrooms are a nutritious, versatile and sustainable choice to incorporate into festive cooking. Chestnut and closed cup mushrooms are readily available and can be used in many breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. I love experimenting with chestnut mushrooms which are full of flavour, have a unique texture and are packed with goodness. I usually sauté and simmer them to use in festive soups, pastries, stews and casseroles.
What are some of your favourite Christmas recipes to cook?
At Christmas, I like to push the boat out and spend a bit more on buying really good quality ingredients and I always have to make my mother’s recipe – brandy cake. I suppose I’m quite traditional with my cooking methods, I’m not overly fond of ‘quirky’ in food. Good ingredients, cooked simply is a bit of a motto of mine.
I do like chef’s toys though. I’ve got a great soft-serve ice cream maker that is just amazing and so easy to use. I’ve been practicing mince pie ice cream and my wife’s favourite, rum and raisin, ready for Christmas. I also couldn’t live without my new Argentinian grill.
Courtesy of The UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers
Try Matt's chestnut mushroom, Stilton and pear twists
What's next for you?
I’ve just released my latest cookbook Weekend, which was great fun to put together and test all the dishes during lockdown. It’s full of easy tasty recipes for anytime of the weekend, from brunch to flashy Saturday night dinners.
And I’m currently filming a new primetime series on vegetarian food for Channel 5 which will be out in the New Year. Its aim is to encourage people to introduce more plant-based foods into their diet.
My birthday is on Christmas Eve, so the celebrations start early in our house. It will be the usual case of eating too much, drinking too much and spending some quality time with friends and family.
Now take a look at our best-ever Christmas recipes
The UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers has partnered with Matt Tebbutt to encourage the nation to be more sustainable during the Christmas period, inspiring the nation to cook flavourful food that highlights the versatility of mushrooms in recipes. For more information on sustainability and recipe inspiration, head to @mushroom.miles on Instagram.
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