Bridgnorth chef Mat grilled by The Restaurant Inspector
Tuesday 14th June 2011, 4:12PM BST.
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A Shropshire chef has been given a grilling on national television in an attempt to turn round his ailing restaurant.
Mat Poulton, who runs Bambers in Bridgnorth, was featured as part of The Restaurant Inspector show on Channel 5 last night.
The 29-year-old cook faced the backlash from Fernando Peire, who is the director of world famous London restaurant The Ivy, who in the show crusades around Britain trying to save failing eateries.
Mr Peire initially criticised the St Mary’s Street restaurant for “brothel” like décor and under par service but was happy with the turnaround Mr Poulton made during the process and praised the great food.
He said: “I thought the décor was a mish-mash. It looks like the restaurant had not been decorated since 1984. In parts it looked like a brothel.
“Bambers does not have a lot of competition in this town. But customers don’t come to the restaurant just for food.”
Mr Peire also challenged the chef to come up with a new menu of locally-sourced food, give more support to his front of house team and lose some weight.
Mr Poulton got the chance to visit La Becasse in Ludlow to speak to chef Will Holland, a lifestyle expert in Wolverhampton and ham company Dukeshill in Telford.
He said: “I suppose most of the stuff he said made sense. But I also felt he had got a very London attitude.
“We had a few rows. I used a little bit of x-rated language. But he is quite a nice guy really. On the whole I can’t say it has really changed what we do that much.”
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The restaurant inspector is clearly unaware of how many great restaurants there are in Bridgnorth – there is lots of competition! I eat in Bridgnorth at least once a month and have never eaten in Bambers as there is so much other decent choice!
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“In parts it looked like a brothel”
Have to take your word for that, Mr Peire.
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