Meet the Chef: Andre Matter
Executive Chef | Wrightington Hotel, Health Club & Spa
What is your current role and what does it involve?
I'm the Executive Chef at Wrightington Hotel, Health Club & Spa, and one of the things I enjoy most about the role is that no two days are ever quite the same!
My responsibilities are wonderfully varied, from creating new menus alongside my talented kitchen brigade to overseeing the food offering across Bennett's Restaurant, our lounge, weddings, conferences and special events.
I'm a great believer in involving the whole team in menu development. We regularly taste proposed dishes together, share opinions and encourage everyone to contribute their ideas. Some of the best dishes come from that collaboration.
Of course, there's also the important work behind the scenes, maintaining stringent food safety standards, planning ahead and ensuring consistency across everything we produce.
But one of the most rewarding aspects of my role is training and mentoring my chefs, helping them develop their skills, confidence and creativity. I've inherited a fantastic team here at Wrightington, who bring plenty of imagination and enthusiasm to the kitchen.
How long have you been a chef?
I've been a chef for 45 years, although my involvement in hospitality actually began when I was just 13 years old, so you could say I've spent rather a lot of my life in kitchens!
It's an industry that's changed enormously over the years, but my enthusiasm for great food and the pleasure of cooking for people hasn't diminished. I still get the same satisfaction from seeing someone genuinely enjoy a dish that I've helped create.
How did you first get into cooking?
I suppose you could say cooking is in my blood!
Both of my parents were chefs, working in some of the most renowned hotels in London and Cornwall, so food was always a big part of our family life.
We certainly didn't have boring dinners growing up! There was always something interesting being prepared, and I was fascinated by the ingredients, flavours and techniques involved.
I loved getting involved, helping where I could and learning from my parents. Looking back, becoming a chef was probably the most natural career path I could have taken.
Where did you learn your craft?
I was born in Switzerland and moved to the UK with my family in 1970, initially settling in Cornwall.
I undertook my culinary education at Camborne College and developed my skills through working in some wonderful hotels and restaurants throughout my career.
Among them was the prestigious Headland Hotel in Newquay, but undoubtedly one of the most significant chapters of my career was spending 17 years at Manchester's iconic Midland Hotel, reaching Executive Chef.
Working in an establishment with such a rich history and reputation for excellence was an incredible experience. It taught me a great deal about maintaining standards, leading large kitchen teams and consistently delivering exceptional food.
More recently, I worked at the highly regarded restaurant The Dish in Standish, before joining the team at Wrightington.
Every kitchen I've worked in has taught me something, and I firmly believe that, even after 45 years, there's always something new to learn.
What was your first job in hospitality?
My first experience of hospitality was at just 13 years old, when I began working in the industry.
Having grown up around professional kitchens thanks to my parents, I was already familiar with the environment and eager to get involved.
Those early experiences gave me a real appreciation for the hard work, discipline and teamwork that goes into running a successful kitchen, lessons that have stayed with me throughout my career.
What is your signature dish, or your favourite ingredient to cook with?
I particularly enjoy working with beautiful, fresh white fish, especially turbot, sole and halibut.
For me, these are ingredients that really demonstrate the importance of quality produce and good cooking techniques. When you start with something exceptional, you don't need to overcomplicate it.
My cooking style is rooted in classic British and European cuisine, occasionally incorporating Asian influences, but the quality of the ingredients must always be the star of the show.
What's been your worst cooking disaster?
Funnily enough, my most memorable cooking disaster didn't happen in a professional kitchen. It happened at home!
After a particularly long day, I was making spaghetti bolognese for the children and made the rather unfortunate decision to sit down on the sofa for a few minutes.
The next thing I knew, I'd fallen asleep and completely burnt their dinner!
After spending my career cooking for thousands of guests, it was slightly embarrassing to be defeated by a pan of Spaghetti Bolognese in my own kitchen.
Thankfully, I can laugh about it now, although I'm not sure the children found it quite so amusing at the time!
What's been the high point so far?
I take enormous satisfaction from the smaller, everyday successes.
There's nothing quite like knowing you've made someone's occasion special through good food, whether that's a couple enjoying dinner together, a family celebrating a milestone or hundreds of guests attending a wedding.
Since joining Wrightington, one of my proudest achievements has been the opportunity to completely refresh Bennett's Restaurant's à la carte menu, introducing my own cooking style and working closely with the team to develop an exciting new offering.
The positive feedback we've received from guests has been incredibly rewarding.
What are your culinary ambitions?
My immediate ambition is to continue developing the food offering at Wrightington and establish Bennett's Restaurant as a dining destination that local people genuinely want to visit regularly.
I think one of the challenges restaurants within hotels face is the misconception that they're exclusively for hotel residents.
That certainly isn't the case at Bennett's!
We're fortunate to have a wonderful following of returning hotel guests, but I'd love to see more people from Wrightington, Wigan and the surrounding Lancashire communities discovering what we have to offer.
Whether it's a relaxed dinner for two, a meal with friends or a special family celebration, everyone is welcome.
I'm excited about our new menus, which showcase classic British and European cuisine with occasional Asian influences, using quality ingredients and preparing everything from scratch wherever possible.
Equally important to me is continuing to develop our talented brigade of chefs. I want them to feel inspired, contribute their own ideas and take genuine pride in the dishes we serve.
Ultimately, my ambition is quite simple: great food, consistently delivered, by a team that loves what they do, in a restaurant that people want to return to.
What do you like to eat?
Two restaurants I particularly enjoy are Northcote and L'Enclume. Both are wonderful examples of exceptional cooking, where the quality of the ingredients, attention to detail and creativity really shine through.
I appreciate restaurants that respect their ingredients and allow the food to speak for itself. And after 45 years in professional kitchens, it's also rather nice occasionally to be the person sitting at the table instead of the one doing the cooking!
How do you achieve a work/life balance?
That's something I've had to teach myself over the years!
Hospitality can be an incredibly demanding industry, particularly when you're responsible for a busy kitchen and a large team. I've learned that the key to maintaining a healthy balance is making sure my home life is happy, peaceful and completely separate from work. Whatever challenges or frustrations might arise during the working day, I make a conscious effort not to take that negativity home with me.
When I'm at work, I'm fully committed to my kitchen, my team and our guests. But when I go home, I believe it's important to switch off and enjoy my personal life.
It's taken years of practice, but I've come to realise that maintaining that separation makes you a better chef, a better leader and, ultimately, a happier person.
Bennett's Restaurant,
Wrightington Hotel, Health Club & Spa,
Moss Lane,
Wrightington
WN6 9PB
Tel: 01257 425803 wrightingtonhotel.co.uk
Opening Times: Bennett's Restaurant is open Monday - Saturday from 6pm – 9pm and Sunday from 6pm - 7.30pm.
Nestled in the heart of the luxurious Wrightington Hotel, Health Club & Spa, Bennett's Restaurant offers a warm welcome and quality dining experience for non-residents and residents alike. Enjoy a la carte dining with a menu influenced by seasonal and local produce, along with a carefully curated wine list and cocktail menu. A vegetarian and vegan menu is also available. Relax in stylish surroundings with attentive service, delivered by an experienced team.
Wrightington Hotel, Health Club and Spa is a Visit Lancashire Partner. Visit Lancashire, through their Taste Lancashire campaigns and activities, showcase Lancashire’s leading food and drink providers and producers, locally, nationally and internationally. For more information go to www.visitlancashire.com/Taste
Simple Mint Chocolate Mousse (Serves 4)
Ingredients
· 170g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
· 4 large egg whites
· ¼ tsp lemon juice
· 40g caster sugar
· 4 x dark mint chocolates
Method
1. Break the dark chocolate into pieces and melt it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth.
2. Remove from the heat and allow the chocolate to cool for 5-10 minutes. It should remain fluid but not hot.
3. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and lemon juice until soft peaks form.
4. Gradually add the caster sugar while whisking, then continue whisking until firm, glossy peaks form.
5. Stir a spoonful of the whisked egg white into the melted chocolate to loosen it.
6. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites using a large metal spoon or spatula until no streaks remain.
7. Fold through the grated/chopped dark mint chocolates.
8. Spoon into four dessert glasses or ramekins.
9. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
10. Add whipped cream and a few raspberries and serve.
Share