At the beginning of this month I had the absolute pleasure of attention a delicious dinner event with the brilliant Matthew Butcher hosted by Mr & Mrs P.
The ambience of the evening was warm and welcoming, it’s not hard to see why this genius Brighton hot spot has become a local favourite.
To say the food was divine would be an understatement, guests were taken on a food journey, with each course inspired by Mathew’s childhood, and the sentiment was felt with every bite.
From the warmth and earthiness of the roasted vegetables, to the punchiness of the coconut curry, the richness of the most amazing croissant I’ve ever had – that truly made you feel like you were in the heart of Paris, to the most divine wagyu and a dessert that combined sweetness with theatre, each course took guests to places that truly made them feel like Matthew has let them into his world.
I sat down with the man of the hour to find out a little more about his food journey and how his relationship with Mr & Mrs P came about.
What does food mean to you?
Simply put: food is life. It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about before falling asleep. It is a massive part of my life, and it always has been – I live and breathe it.
My ultimate happy place is sitting around a table enjoying an incredible meal with the people I love most.
Food is more than just nutrition, it’s like an art to me; I admire and respect it completely.
When putting together a private dinner like this, what kind of journey do you want to take the guests on?
I always aim to take my guests through a journey of the creative side of the dinner, whether it’s a product, concept, story, etc. It is always important to get across why we are doing the dinner and what it’s about.
For example, this evening was about my childhood memories and the meals we used to cook as a family. They are my inspiration and those memories are where I draw most of my creativity.
Food also has personality, which I find very important to convey to each of my guests.
How did your partnership with Mr and Mrs P come to fruition?
Georgia essentially Facebook stalked me to meet me in person. I remember our first meeting was on site way back during the construction phase of the venue. As I walked up to the front door, I saw the sign of what this establishment use to be: Taco Bills.
From the moment I laid eyes on that sign, I felt instantly connected to the venue as my first ever job was at Taco Bills.
Greg and Georgia welcomed me with warm and open arms – we just clicked. The rest is history and we haven’t looked back since.
What do you think has made this a success?
The answer to this question with respect to this evening also speaks for the success of the venue itself.
Everything we do is a success because of our guests – We owe everything to the people who care and want to be apart of what we love to do.
Who would your dream private dinner guests consist of and what would you cook for them?
Hands down, my dream dinner guests would consist of Steph & Ayesha Curry – Oh and without a doubt: Taylor Swift.
Steph Curry is my favourite basketballer and his wife Ayesha is also a professional celebrity cook. As for Tay Swift, I would invite her because I’ve had a crush on her for at least 10 years now.
For dinner, I would cook the best American Soul Food they’ve ever had – secret ingredient: lots of love.
I’m sure by the end of article you are salivating to try some magical creation from this culinary genius, and it pleases me to say you’re in luck.
The next ‘Evening with Matthew Butcher’ event will be held on the 21st of June – contact Mr & Mrs P to make a booking, you won’t be disappointed.
