About Foray

Growing up in the small seaside town of Lytham, Lancashire, Oli was surrounded by an abundance of nature’s offerings from both land and sea. He has always held a deep respect for fishermen, local farmers, and producers; this connection has helped forge the long established bonds he enjoys today with his suppliers. He is honoured to have access to a wonderful array of ingredients, allowing him to experiment and innovate previously unthought of flavour combinations and dishes.

Oli entered the industry at 14 years old, starting as pot wash and it was upwards from there! Holding posts at prestigious establishments such as Gilpin (1 Michelin Star) in Cumbria/the English Lake District and Northcote (1 Michelin Star) in Lancashire, as well as further afield in France and Australia. It was in Sydney working at the 2 Hat awarded Gastro Park where he met Matt. Then onto the multi award winning Katering, Sydney for his first experience stepping out of the restaurant kitchen and into the world of catering. Oli admits being pleasantly surprised by the private catering industry and the limitless freedom and creativity it offers, not only with the food but also the setting itself.

His life’s culinary journey expanded as he travelled through Asia and Europe, uncovering a rich history and tradition of foraging. Once back on home turf Oli was inspired to get back in touch with what England’s natural larder had to offer, what a wealth of long forgotten ingredients he found on his doorstep! Using local produce, both supplied and foraged for, applying his own innovative styles and techniques, Oli’s dishes tell a story, from conception to plate.

He has been Head Chef at Hipping Hall for seven years, achieving multiple awards. It was at Hipping Hall where he first was able to be more interactive with his diners, presenting and explaining his dishes; sharing his joy and culinary vision.

Oli reached the final three on Masterchef: The Professionals 2018, returning in 2020 to win the Festive Knockout. Marcus Wareing described Oli’s cooking as “Mother Nature at its very best”.

Matt grew up in Staffordshire, described as the “heart of Britain”, a landlocked county, rich with nature, from the moorlands to the peak district. Forest walks as a child set the scene for Matt’s favourite obsession later in life: foraging.

Having always enjoyed experimenting with cooking from a young age, Matt first stepped into the professional kitchen aged 16, part of his school’s work experience outreach. He was instantly captivated by the atmosphere and knew this was the path he would follow.

Embarking on his first stage at 18 for 2 Michelin starred Hibiscus, Matt knew in order to be the best you must work with the best. This conviction took him to various stages at The Fat Duck (3 Michelin Stars), Quay (3 Hat) and Whatley Manor (2 Michelin Stars), giving him valuable experience and insight. He has held posts working under Claude Bosi at Hibiscus, for Angela Hartnet at Murano (1 Michelin Star) and Grant King at Gastro Park (2 Hat) where he met Oli.

Having planned to work in Australia for just one year, Matt was fascinated by the rich array of seafood and ingredients on offer, developing a keen palette for balance in his dishes; five years later he returned home, excited to discover how he could apply his new knowledge to what England’s larder had to offer. Having spent the last five years as sous chef at Hipping Hall, Matt has been given the freedom to evolve as a chef creatively and practically, to work with the seasons and allow his passion for foraging (particularly for wild and forgotten plants) to expand.

As his knowledge and confidence in foraging grew so did his obsession with the offerings of the natural world; from mushrooms that taste like almond to ginger flavoured flowers. Nature always has a way of surprising you with its array of amazing mushrooms, plants and fauna. As a chef finding these new ingredients and flavours are extremely exciting as it opens new doors to dishes he is excited to showcase with Foray.