ding on a 30-year culinary career encompassing some of the world’s finest restaurants, Dorset chef Matt Cook is taking his talents to a new group of discerning diners – in their own homes.

Matt’s “personal chef” business Fish Face, started five years ago and named after his nickname in the kitchen, is a catering company with a real difference, creating delicious dishes in his customers’ own
kitchens.

Based in Dorchester for the past three years, Fish Face is proving a resounding success with Dorset residents and visitors alike and is particularly popular with busy, stressed-out executives who relish
the prospect of quality food, but don’t want to go near the cooker.

Since starting as a 13-year-old working in a pub kitchen, Matt’s stratospheric career path has seen him working as head chef for Marco Pierre-White’s Talkhouse pub restaurant near Oxford and acting as a
private chef in chic Swiss ski resort Klosters.

He has cooked for customers Down Under at restaurants in Sydney, Darwin and Brisbane, and worked at a two Michelin star pastry kitchen in France.

Now back to his Dorset roots – he used to be head chef at the Bull Hotel in Bridport – Matt is drawing on his extensive knowledge of local suppliers to serve up fine food without the fuss. He works with holiday home company Unique Homestays, and has an exclusive contract with Bournemouth-based
Bellissimo Weddings, famous for arranging the UK’s first ever beach wedding.

“As a private chef I do everything from breakfast to lunch to afternoon tea and dinner,” Matt says. “The aim is to look after the client as much as I can, whether that means doing the shop every day or going to the market for them.

“I take a ‘can-do’ approach as a personal chef and pride myself on being approachable and flexible. I will always call the client to see how best I can cater for them, making menu suggestions, coming up with ideas that are for children’s meals, even choosing the plates and cutlery for the perfect place setting.”

Fish Face is also proving popular for busy office and dinner parties, with Matt taking care of all of the details, right down to selecting the right wines. On a much larger scale, Matt and his team can cater
for up to 400 guests at a beach wedding, producing anything from mouth-watering barbecues, canapés, afternoon teas or good old-fashioned fish and chips – whatever the bride and groom require.

The food is prepared in a marquee on Bournemouth beach and Matt is particularly adept at providing variations on a traditional barbecue.

“I did a Mexican barbecue for a couple who were supposed to be going to Mexico,” he says. “They didn’t go in the end, but my barbecue at least gave them a taste of the country.

“I will cater for any type of ceremony on the beach. It’s such a memorable day to be involved in.”
For other wedding venues exclusively catered for by Matt such as English Oak Vineyard at Talbot Heath and Wilkswood Farm at Swanage, Matt can design a special menu.

Matt, who trained at Bournemouth and Poole College, is keen to further develop his career right here in Dorset.

He said: “One day I hope to buy a restaurant with rooms and develop a Matt Cook Dorset food line.
“We have so much good produce in Dorset – if I had to pick one thing I would say it’s our seafood which is incredible.”

See www.fishfacevents.com for more information or call Matt on 0781 3546491.