An Interview with Chef Matt Ryle
A couple of weeks ago we asked internet superstar chef Matt Ryle what he would cook for the Champions Dinner if he won The Masters. He understood the brief: Grilled Dublin Bay Prawns with Garlic Butter, followed by a Steak and Ale Pie, finished with a Chocolate Mousse and Whisky Caramel, was the impassioned response (you can watch him make the Steak and Ale Pie here).
We don’t just ask any chef for hypothetical golf themed menus: Matt is a golf nut. We checked in with him ahead of his debut book launch, French Classics (use code MANORS20 for 20% off and a chance to win a £250 MANORS Voucher) to understand some of the parallels between the course and the kitchen.
You’re a well known advocate of a peaceful, harmonious kitchen environment. Are you able to retain that same tranquillity on the golf course?
I try to! Golf is my escape from the stresses of the kitchen so I want it to be relaxing, but let’s be honest—there’s nothing more annoying than nailing a drive and duffing the wedge, which seems to be one of my specialties.
Last year we flew to Japan, a golf obsessed omakase chef told us that he learned to play golf the same way he learned to prepare food: by watching others. Have you noticed any parallels between developing skills in the kitchen and on the golf course?
Definitely. In both, you learn by watching, practicing, and making a lot of mistakes. When I was training in kitchens, we were drilled to ask lots of questions and observe how the chefs moved, how they handled a knife, how they worked under pressure. I think its the same with golf, I’m not lucky enough to always play with great golfers but you notice the difference when you do, nicer to watch and better intel when you ask questions.
You started cooking at the age of 15 at L’Ortolan, if you had started playing golf then, would you be as good at golf now as you are at making a pate en croute?
I’d love to say yes, but realistically, my pâté en croûte would still be better! Cooking is something that comes naturally. Golf, on the other hand, is something I have to work at, I think with 15 years of grind I would have just broken 80.
The transition from high end French cuisine to a golf club lunch must be a difficult one to stomach. What's the best golf club food you’ve ever eaten?
You’d think so, but I’m not fussy, the trick is to keep it simple, bacon or sausage bap with a fried egg is hard to get wrong. I had a great carvery at Hankley Common last year which was pretty memorable, wasn’t sure whether to eat it or climb it.
Golf and food both have a rich heritage, but they also need to move with the times. How do you go about honouring tradition with your food, whilst appealing to modern audiences?
I love classic techniques, and I don’t believe in changing things just for the sake of it. But at the same time, food has to feel exciting. If I’m making a dish, I want it to stay true to its roots, but I might introduce a modern element that makes it feel fresh. At the restaurant we make a moules marinière flatbread, the inspiration is the bread to dunk into the bowl at the end, it tastes just like a bowl of steaming mussels but it’s slightly more interesting.
I can only imagine the work that goes into writing and promoting your first ever cookbook, what’s the one thing you’d like people to know about the book?
Buying this book will shave 5 shots off your handicap… And that it’s not just a collection of recipes—it’s about everything I love about food. There are stories behind how I discovered the dishes and all the tips and techniques I’ve learnt throughout my career. I want people to feel like they’re in the kitchen with me, not just following steps but really understanding why things work.
Aside from a long sleep, what’s next for Matt Ryle?
Hoping for a few rounds of golf! But beyond that, lots of exciting projects bubbling away but all under wraps for now. As long as it involves great food, good people, and maybe a few birdies along the way, I’m happy.
Quick Fire Questions
What's your favourite on course snack?
Rowntree’s Randoms
What's your halfway house order?
Sausage roll (hope you’ve seen the sausage roll hack where you open the pastry and fill the inside with sauce)
What's your favourite club in the bag?
8 iron
What's going to be the most popular recipe from your new book?
Dauphinoise potatoes (the proper recipe, not the one everyone normally cooks)
What's your best ever score on the course?
82
What's your post round drink?
Lager
Who do you want to win The Masters?
Ludvig Aberg
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