David Everitt-Matthias Le Champignon Sauvage Cheltenham

His two Michelin star restaurant, Le Champignon Sauvage, has been wowing the public since it opened in 1987 but David Everitt-Matthias continues to pursue bigger and better in terms of his menus. David’s efforts to develop and evolve his cuisine were rewarded most notably by his victory of the Good Food Guide’s Chef of the Year accolade, after 35 years of work. Before opening Cheltenham’s Le Champignon Sauvage and a number of head chef stints in London, his home city, David worked under Jean Paul Bonin at the Four Seasons before later working under Pierre Koffman at La Tante Claire. These experiences equipped the talented chef to pursue the impressive success he has enjoyed at Le Champignon Sauvage.

His Cheltenham restaurant has benefitted greatly from David’s approach of foraging for the ingredients, enabling the menus a fresh, seasonal edge that means the food is of the highest possible quality. It is this devotion to quality that David’s Michelin star rating commends.

London-born chef and author David Everitt-Matthias has been the co-owner and head chef of two Michelin starred Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham since 1987, a joint venture he shares with his wife Helen. In the 26 years that Le Champignon Sauvage has been opened, David and Helen have never missed a service. If the restaurant is open, David will always be in the kitchen, whilst Helen runs front of house. Le Champignon Sauvage has been a two Michelin starred restaurant since 2000.

David began his career in 1978 at London’s Inn on the Park (now the Four Seasons), before developing his French-style technique while working under renowned French Chef Pierre Koffman at La Tante Claire. David moved on shortly after to become Head Chef of Grand Café in 1983. After two years there, David took his second head chef position at Steamers Fish Restaurant, and his final position in London was Fingals Restaurant Putney in 1987.

Married two years prior, David and his wife Helen moved to Cheltenham Spa in the Cotswolds to open their dream restaurant in 1987. Le Champignon Sauvage, meaning ‘wild mushroom,’ has become renowned for David’s creative use of local ingredients, many of which he and Helen forage themselves.

David is the author of three highly regarded recipe books: Essence: Recipes from Le Champignon Sauvage in 2006 and Dessert Recipes from Le Champignon Sauvage in 2009; the latter earned runner-up for Best Cookbook in the World from the Gourmand Book Awards. His third, Beyond Essence: New Recipes from Le Champignon Sauvage was launched in spring 2013.

No stranger to awards, some of the accolades David and the restaurant has received include 2014 Good Food Guide Chef of the Year, 2013 Observer Food Monthly ‘Outstanding Contribution’ award, 2007 Catey Chef of the Year, 2006 BMW Square Meal Restaurant of the Year, as well as retaining two Michelin stars since 2000.