Matt cooks up ‘Seafood Pub of the Year’ title for Kidderminster

One of Kidderminster’s brightest young chefs is putting the town on the map after landing a national title for his skills in the kitchen. Matt Gardner, who runs the Mare and Colt with his girlfriend Jess Harris, has beaten off competition from over 140 venues in the UK to become the ‘Chef and Brewer Seafood Pub of the Year 2007’ and is already setting his sights on offering local people a big thank you for their support.

The former Halesowen College student saw sales rise by 17.1% during ‘Seafood Week’ in October, with the imaginative nature of the dishes (including one

of the largest spider crabs ever seen in the UK), themed decorations and an extensive marketing campaign helping to beat budget by £5600. “Nearly 1000 diners visited the venue during those seven days and this local support was crucial in securing the title,” explained Matt, who is set to go away for a weekend of fishing as part of the prize. “With this in mind, we wanted to give something back and have decided to host a second ‘Seafood Week’ that will get underway on the 4th February. The idea is to say thank you by launching a special menu that will feature oysters, octopus, scallops, lobsters and a special nautical mixed grill.”

He continued: “We will also be putting five spider crabs on the menu and this will be served on a first come, first served basis, as it was this dish that really stole the show last time around.” National Judges from the Chef and Brewer were impressed with the high quality and diversity of the menu at the Mare and Colt, with over 40 specialist sea food meals available at any one time. Customer feedback was excellent throughout the seven day extravaganza and the pub also won praise for its innovative marketing campaign that saw it enlist the support of Kiddy’s favourite daughter Radio 1 Producer Rachel Jones.
“It’s fantastic to win such a prestigious prize, but the effect it has had on the business is much more than just a nice trophy,” pointed out Matt.

“For me it is a real team effort, from the chefs in the kitchen to the bar staff and our waiters and waitresses. Everyone made sure the week was a huge success by giving 120%, not to mention coming up with ideas on the meals we could serve and how we advertise the promotion.” Jess, who is Joint Manager, agreed: “The Sea Fish Authority-backed week is a lot of fun, but there are some serious messages behind it, such as the importance of a balanced diet, the use of local UK produce and awareness of what you can do with these sorts of dishes.” Situated two miles outside Kidderminster Town Centre on the A449, the Mare and Colt is one of the area’s fastest growing pubs and restaurants, with turnover set to break the £600k mark this year. Good quality food, a welcoming atmosphere and a weekly selection of Cask Marque approved real ales has seen its customer base grow beyond all expectations.