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A Champion Among Restaurants (October 2004)
by Daniel Darwood, Co-Editor
My first of six visits to Le Champignon Sauvage was for
Saturday lunch, shortly after the restaurant gained its
second Michelin Star. The dining room was relatively
empty except for me and two elderly local hoteliers
chatting to Helen Everitt-Matthias. Their conversation
moved onto the quality of local restaurants and hotels
and went something like this:
Couple: Have you heard of Michelin?
H. E-M : Yes…….
Couple: Would you like a Michelin Star?
(Pause)
H. E-M: Well,actually we have two (modestly)
Couple: Really?...........
(embarrassed silence)
I had to chuckle at the couple’s faux pas and Helen
Everritt-Matthias’ phlegmatic response.
In many ways things have not changed: the residents of
Cheltenham and its environs must still be relatively
unaware – or insufficiently appreciative - of this
gastronomic jewel in their midst, otherwise it would be
packed out every night, as is the case with equally rated
establishments in the south east; and Helen Everitt-
Matthias remains as charming, courteous, tactful and
modest as ever.
Indeed, lack of ostentation is the hallmark of
Champignon Sauvage. Its façade blends in with the rest
of the terrace of shops, restaurants and pubs on Suffolk
Road so much that it is easy to miss the front entrance
altogether. The lounge is the size of a sitting room, whilst
the restaurant itself has only 28 covers. An eclectic but
not flamboyant choice of paintings decorates its walls,
and the tables, chairs and place settings offer only
modest comfort and luxury. Prices continue to represent
excellent value for money, whether it is the set lunch, the
weekday set dinner, or indeed the Carte, given its luxury
ingredients and masterful cooking. Nor does the chef
visit the diners at the end of service to receive applause:
David Everitt-Matthias, a previous winner of the National
Chef of the Year, is highly skilled but low profile.
What has changed and what is bold is the confident
development of the menu. This is based on the
scrupulous sourcing of the freshest ingredients –
Shetland Scallops, Gloucester Old Spot pig, local
(Winchcombe) venison - and an imagination limited only
by a judicious sense of which combinations actually
work. Consider for instance the amuse bouche of game
veloute with liquorice. Instead of two strong flavours
counter-acting each other, the soft earthiness of the
game is cut by the distinctive taste of the herb.
Throughout, the cooking is complex and multi-layered,
true to the French classics but with innovation enhancing
the finished combination. The generous starter of seared
foie gras came with fried pancetta, gizzards, Maury syrup
and balsamic dressed salad. This is a robust dish, not
for the feint hearted. The same is true of a lasagne of
oxtail and sweetbreads, where the light horseradish
foam balanced the richness of the meat and offal. Hand
dived scallops - plump, rich and perfectly timed - were
balanced by pea and onion purees of exquisite
smoothness.
Main courses include saddle of venison, with the texture
of beef and meltingly tender. The sauerkraut which
accompanied it was mercifully free from excessive acidity
that can mask any dish. Pork belly and pig’s cheek which
proved rich and unctuous, and not overwhelmed by the
five spice seasoning.
French and English cheeses were in prime condition, as
were home made biscuits which accompanied them.
Crackling sugar in the pre dessert of geranium scented
cream tickled our aural sensations. Fortunately, we were
not offered headphones to enhance this experience!
Desserts are as rich as the other courses, albeit simpler
in their presentation. Roast pineapple and molasses,
with pineapple and angelica sorbet; proved a successful
combination of sweet and hot, light and cold.
All the incidentals, including the crusty strong flour white
rolls and petits fours are first rate. Wines, whether per
glass or bottle, are excellent value for money.
With only three in the kitchen, and despite its limited
space and unremarkable location the restaurant
nevertheless goes from strength to strength. The sous
chef has recently been a runner up in the Young Chef of
the Year competition, an accolade which speaks
volumes for the experience he has gained under David
Everitt- Matthias.
by Daniel Darwood, Co-Editor
My first of six visits to Le Champignon Sauvage was for
Saturday lunch, shortly after the restaurant gained its
second Michelin Star. The dining room was relatively
empty except for me and two elderly local hoteliers
chatting to Helen Everitt-Matthias. Their conversation
moved onto the quality of local restaurants and hotels
and went something like this:
Couple: Have you heard of Michelin?
H. E-M : Yes…….
Couple: Would you like a Michelin Star?
(Pause)
H. E-M: Well,actually we have two (modestly)
Couple: Really?...........
(embarrassed silence)
I had to chuckle at the couple’s faux pas and Helen
Everritt-Matthias’ phlegmatic response.
In many ways things have not changed: the residents of
Cheltenham and its environs must still be relatively
unaware – or insufficiently appreciative - of this
gastronomic jewel in their midst, otherwise it would be
packed out every night, as is the case with equally rated
establishments in the south east; and Helen Everitt-
Matthias remains as charming, courteous, tactful and
modest as ever.
Indeed, lack of ostentation is the hallmark of
Champignon Sauvage. Its façade blends in with the rest
of the terrace of shops, restaurants and pubs on Suffolk
Road so much that it is easy to miss the front entrance
altogether. The lounge is the size of a sitting room, whilst
the restaurant itself has only 28 covers. An eclectic but
not flamboyant choice of paintings decorates its walls,
and the tables, chairs and place settings offer only
modest comfort and luxury. Prices continue to represent
excellent value for money, whether it is the set lunch, the
weekday set dinner, or indeed the Carte, given its luxury
ingredients and masterful cooking. Nor does the chef
visit the diners at the end of service to receive applause:
David Everitt-Matthias, a previous winner of the National
Chef of the Year, is highly skilled but low profile.
What has changed and what is bold is the confident
development of the menu. This is based on the
scrupulous sourcing of the freshest ingredients –
Shetland Scallops, Gloucester Old Spot pig, local
(Winchcombe) venison - and an imagination limited only
by a judicious sense of which combinations actually
work. Consider for instance the amuse bouche of game
veloute with liquorice. Instead of two strong flavours
counter-acting each other, the soft earthiness of the
game is cut by the distinctive taste of the herb.
Throughout, the cooking is complex and multi-layered,
true to the French classics but with innovation enhancing
the finished combination. The generous starter of seared
foie gras came with fried pancetta, gizzards, Maury syrup
and balsamic dressed salad. This is a robust dish, not
for the feint hearted. The same is true of a lasagne of
oxtail and sweetbreads, where the light horseradish
foam balanced the richness of the meat and offal. Hand
dived scallops - plump, rich and perfectly timed - were
balanced by pea and onion purees of exquisite
smoothness.
Main courses include saddle of venison, with the texture
of beef and meltingly tender. The sauerkraut which
accompanied it was mercifully free from excessive acidity
that can mask any dish. Pork belly and pig’s cheek which
proved rich and unctuous, and not overwhelmed by the
five spice seasoning.
French and English cheeses were in prime condition, as
were home made biscuits which accompanied them.
Crackling sugar in the pre dessert of geranium scented
cream tickled our aural sensations. Fortunately, we were
not offered headphones to enhance this experience!
Desserts are as rich as the other courses, albeit simpler
in their presentation. Roast pineapple and molasses,
with pineapple and angelica sorbet; proved a successful
combination of sweet and hot, light and cold.
All the incidentals, including the crusty strong flour white
rolls and petits fours are first rate. Wines, whether per
glass or bottle, are excellent value for money.
With only three in the kitchen, and despite its limited
space and unremarkable location the restaurant
nevertheless goes from strength to strength. The sous
chef has recently been a runner up in the Young Chef of
the Year competition, an accolade which speaks
volumes for the experience he has gained under David
Everitt- Matthias.
A Master of Understatement (October 2004)
by Simon Carter,Co-Editor
In 1987, David and Helen Everitt-Matthias opened Jay
Rayner's favourite restaurant: Le Champignon
Sauvage in Cheltenham.
Helen runs the front of house of the 28 cover dining
room with just one helper. David heads a kitchen staff
of three.
One of the select band of Two Michelin Starred
restaurants, with 8/10 in the 2005 Good Food Guide
and Four AA Rosettes, Le Champignon Sauvage rates
as the sixth best restaurant in Britain in The 1% Club.
From the outside you would not imagine what takes
place inside; as with 43 Upper Brooke Street, London,
if you did not know you would not know - a secret club
for gastronomes.
David has modestly described his cooking as Cuisine
du Terroir with modern spicing. The term traditionally
means regional French cooking using local produce
that deliver flavours and textures unique to that area
(just as a wine from a similar grape varies
enormously according to the 'earth' of its origin.) It's a
phrase that conjures up earthy, hearty, gutsy,
"masculine" food and to a degree these are adjectives
that can be applied. They form, however, merely a
cover by which the book must not be judged. The
cooking is precise and clinical, the preparation
faultless and the construction (components,
ingredients) demonstrate versatility of style as well as
a refined appreciation of taste and texture. The end
products on a plate are clearly the result of a
passionate dedication to the art.
The dramatically understated Duck Foie Gras starter
comprises two large warm slabs on top of Duck's
Gizzards, Pancetta, roasted Quince, Walnuts and a
Maury reduction. (Maury wines; lesser known than
Banyuls as a dessert wine to typically accompany
chocolate). The Lasagne of Sweetbreads (creamy
Lamb Pancreas) and rich, unctuous Oxtail on a
balancing horseradish sauce had a wow factor from
the moment it arrived right through to the end. Indeed,
a wow factor that I've not experienced for a long time!
The Shetland Scallops with Pea Puree and Roasted
Onion Sauce were a perfect contrast in style -
enormous scallops (the type you'll never find on a
Waitrose fish counter) , perfectly seared, deliciously
fresh and sweet with a tiny pinch of sea salt on top.
This type of clean, precise cooking I would more
associate with Royal Hospital Road. As a master
artist, Everitt-Matthias switches between the
gastronomic equivalent of Impressionism and
Baroque with ease.
Delighting in winter menus I followed with the offal
based dish of Pig's belly and Pig's cheek which was
unashamedly rich and hearty, providing a rising sense
of euphoric delirium (as only Pig's offal or Valrhona
chocolate can). "Ah, return to Bistro Bruno Monsieur
Loubet and end this antipodean madness, " I
lamented.
After some cheese I chose the layered meringue,
praline cream and chocolate cake with Tonka bean ice
cream on the side. Tonka beans are large and strong
flavoured. Heston Blumanthal and Chris Staines have
both flavoured ice creams and the former created a
veloute. Rich and flavour packed, the pudding finished
me off; I couldn't manage any of the (many) exquisite
looking chocolates that came with coffee.
A note on the pre-pudding and pre-starter. I'd never
paid too much attention to these freebes - one too
many samey pumpkin veloutes or uninspired lime
creams. In fact the first time I really took notice was at
Tom Aikens' where a celeriac veloute had subtle and
complex flavours that developed on the palate and
lingered like a Grand Cru Classe. On this occasion
we were offered a game and liquorice veloute. The
richness of the game and the sharp distinctive
liquorice met on the centre of the palate in a crisp
conclusion. Very interesting (in a positive way) and
memorable. The pre-pudding was a Rose Geranium
scented cream topped with sugar space dust. I found
this less convincing (let Heston do as Heston does).
In all, the evening was worth every minute of my four
hour round trip and about twice the price we paid.
[The sensitivity of the local clientele to price points
means the average bill is between a half and two
thirds of what you would expect from one of the few
restaurants of a similar rating in London. At the same
time, maintaining the 60% plus GP required to run a
profitable business must take some doing. The wines
too are easy on the customer with comparatively low
mark-ups across the list.]
Passing references might be made to other chefs -
Loubet, Koffman, Ramsay or Blumenthal but only as
compliments, not as eclectic influences. The cooking
is individual and the style is unique. I'm not sure what
motivates the likes of Michelin to award the coveted
Three Stars but in the modern age they may expect
their luminaries to represent the industry in the media.
While this is not the way of David Everitt-Matthias his
cooking will continue to light up the gastronomic world
for some time to come.
Should you live within a 90 minute journey of this
restaurant and you do not visit at least once a quarter
then you must ask yourself why....
by Simon Carter,Co-Editor
In 1987, David and Helen Everitt-Matthias opened Jay
Rayner's favourite restaurant: Le Champignon
Sauvage in Cheltenham.
Helen runs the front of house of the 28 cover dining
room with just one helper. David heads a kitchen staff
of three.
One of the select band of Two Michelin Starred
restaurants, with 8/10 in the 2005 Good Food Guide
and Four AA Rosettes, Le Champignon Sauvage rates
as the sixth best restaurant in Britain in The 1% Club.
From the outside you would not imagine what takes
place inside; as with 43 Upper Brooke Street, London,
if you did not know you would not know - a secret club
for gastronomes.
David has modestly described his cooking as Cuisine
du Terroir with modern spicing. The term traditionally
means regional French cooking using local produce
that deliver flavours and textures unique to that area
(just as a wine from a similar grape varies
enormously according to the 'earth' of its origin.) It's a
phrase that conjures up earthy, hearty, gutsy,
"masculine" food and to a degree these are adjectives
that can be applied. They form, however, merely a
cover by which the book must not be judged. The
cooking is precise and clinical, the preparation
faultless and the construction (components,
ingredients) demonstrate versatility of style as well as
a refined appreciation of taste and texture. The end
products on a plate are clearly the result of a
passionate dedication to the art.
The dramatically understated Duck Foie Gras starter
comprises two large warm slabs on top of Duck's
Gizzards, Pancetta, roasted Quince, Walnuts and a
Maury reduction. (Maury wines; lesser known than
Banyuls as a dessert wine to typically accompany
chocolate). The Lasagne of Sweetbreads (creamy
Lamb Pancreas) and rich, unctuous Oxtail on a
balancing horseradish sauce had a wow factor from
the moment it arrived right through to the end. Indeed,
a wow factor that I've not experienced for a long time!
The Shetland Scallops with Pea Puree and Roasted
Onion Sauce were a perfect contrast in style -
enormous scallops (the type you'll never find on a
Waitrose fish counter) , perfectly seared, deliciously
fresh and sweet with a tiny pinch of sea salt on top.
This type of clean, precise cooking I would more
associate with Royal Hospital Road. As a master
artist, Everitt-Matthias switches between the
gastronomic equivalent of Impressionism and
Baroque with ease.
Delighting in winter menus I followed with the offal
based dish of Pig's belly and Pig's cheek which was
unashamedly rich and hearty, providing a rising sense
of euphoric delirium (as only Pig's offal or Valrhona
chocolate can). "Ah, return to Bistro Bruno Monsieur
Loubet and end this antipodean madness, " I
lamented.
After some cheese I chose the layered meringue,
praline cream and chocolate cake with Tonka bean ice
cream on the side. Tonka beans are large and strong
flavoured. Heston Blumanthal and Chris Staines have
both flavoured ice creams and the former created a
veloute. Rich and flavour packed, the pudding finished
me off; I couldn't manage any of the (many) exquisite
looking chocolates that came with coffee.
A note on the pre-pudding and pre-starter. I'd never
paid too much attention to these freebes - one too
many samey pumpkin veloutes or uninspired lime
creams. In fact the first time I really took notice was at
Tom Aikens' where a celeriac veloute had subtle and
complex flavours that developed on the palate and
lingered like a Grand Cru Classe. On this occasion
we were offered a game and liquorice veloute. The
richness of the game and the sharp distinctive
liquorice met on the centre of the palate in a crisp
conclusion. Very interesting (in a positive way) and
memorable. The pre-pudding was a Rose Geranium
scented cream topped with sugar space dust. I found
this less convincing (let Heston do as Heston does).
In all, the evening was worth every minute of my four
hour round trip and about twice the price we paid.
[The sensitivity of the local clientele to price points
means the average bill is between a half and two
thirds of what you would expect from one of the few
restaurants of a similar rating in London. At the same
time, maintaining the 60% plus GP required to run a
profitable business must take some doing. The wines
too are easy on the customer with comparatively low
mark-ups across the list.]
Passing references might be made to other chefs -
Loubet, Koffman, Ramsay or Blumenthal but only as
compliments, not as eclectic influences. The cooking
is individual and the style is unique. I'm not sure what
motivates the likes of Michelin to award the coveted
Three Stars but in the modern age they may expect
their luminaries to represent the industry in the media.
While this is not the way of David Everitt-Matthias his
cooking will continue to light up the gastronomic world
for some time to come.
Should you live within a 90 minute journey of this
restaurant and you do not visit at least once a quarter
then you must ask yourself why....
