Matt Waldron

Game with Matt Waldron

Head Chef at The Stackpole Inn

“If I’m honest, I can’t get enough game on the menu. I love the fact that game is so versatile but at the same time so lean and healthy. It really is a dream ingredient for a chef. I’m one of those believers that likes to have a couple of different dishes put together on one plate.”

“By that I mean that I’ll serve a piece of venison loin, simply cooked, alongside a more complex piece of cooking such as a braise of venison haunch which has been topped with a banging mash. This style gives me the opportunity to put two contrasting styles in one dish that gives the guest an opportunity to try both and that’s the joy of the tasting menu - it gives us chefs the chance to play around with ideas and allow guests to get far more out of an evening than being restricted to one old-school main course choice. With venison I like to dip into the “what grows together goes together” mindset. This has always served me well. In terms of venison this means using vegetables like parsnips - I love a good, simple parsnip purée rich with butter but I also love to do a parsnip crumb with swede and potato added. To go with that I use Roscoff onions which I cut in half and colour on the bottom and then slow braise them with port. These additional flavours are what makes game so fun to work with.”

Gem 42 | Restaurant

South Wales Newport

Gem 42 is an Italian restaurant in Newport on a mission: “To elevate the dining experience to a simple memorable experience.” Those are the words of Chef Sergio Cinotti. “All of our dishes/ ingredients are researched and studied, sourced locally, tried and tested in our dedicated Lab Test Kitchen, which is our space to be creative,” he goes on.

Gem 42 is an Italian take on modern food that remains true to its heritage but takes a new twist on dishes and menu construction. Welsh produce, meat, game and fish are all taken seriously.

gem42.co.uk

42 Bridge Street Newport South Wales NP20 4NY T: 01633.287591 E: info@gem42.co.uk

Hare & Hounds | Pub

South Wales Cowbridge

The Hare & Hounds in Aberthin is the sister pub to Cardiff’s The Heathcock. Welsh born chef Tom Watts-Jones, an alumni of The Anchor and Hope in London, sources the very best produce and ingredients that the Vale of Glamorgan offers. There’s a kitchen garden which dictates the menu from day to day and game plays a part in season.

The Hare & Hounds, like The Heathcock, is very much a dining pub with a strong list of beer and ale all combining into a rounded dining experience with the kitchen central to the business. Aberthin CF71 7LG T: 01446 774892 E: info@ hareandhoundsaberthin.com