Head chef Matty Grove is at the helm of Bristol’s neighbourhood bistro Caper & Cure. We caught up with him to chat menu inspiration, must-order dishes and his death-row meal
Tell us about Caper and Cure.
Caper and Cure is a French-led European bistro run by Giles, a dear friend of mine. He set it up as a neighbourhood restaurant where people can come and have a special experience.
You could turn up in a pair of shorts or a tuxedo and not feel out of place. For me, that epitomises what the restaurant is: somewhere you can relax, eat wholesome food and leave feeling chuffed without it leaving a hole in your pocket.
The team have also opened Carmen Street Wine Bar – are you involved with that?
The wine bar opened in 2024 and we built it up from an empty concrete shell. I’ve been involved with the kitchen side of things. The menu is led by me and some of the younger chefs, which is great because it gives them a chance to put their ideas forward. It’s simpler than the bistro: oysters, braised chorizo, small plates. Food you want to share over a glass of wine.
What inspires your cooking?
I cook food that I want to eat. I like full plates of food: a starch, a sauce, a meat, a veg. The menu changes depending on how I feel that day, what’s in season or even the weather. Sometimes I wake up and think, I really want sticky short ribs with dauphinoise potatoes today. And that’s it – the menu changes.
How often does the menu evolve?
I try to keep it moving without making it chaotic. I’ll usually change a couple of dishes a week. The specials board is where the younger chefs get to play around with ideas – it’s their chance to have a bit of freedom.
What’s your ingredient-sourcing ethos?
I’ve got about 16 suppliers and each one does something special. We try to source locally where we can, but sometimes the best produce isn’t always the closest, so it’s about picking your battles.
What’s your favourite dish on the current menu?
Right now it’s a duroc pork tomahawk. We brine it for two days, cook it over fire and serve it with a sauce charcutière and variegated kale finished on the barbecue.
What’s one dish diners musn’t miss?
We’ve had a crab dish on the menu since day one. It’s a beurre blanc packed with white crab and crayfish, herbs, lemon and lime, served in the crab shell with homemade bread. Sometimes you get tired of cooking something you see every day, but it’s just inherently beautiful. People love it.
Favourite cookbook?
My nan’s cookbook. She’s this brilliant, bossy little Malaysian lady. I cook from that book all the time at home – things like soy-braised chicken and mango pudding. At work, though, I always go back to Michel Roux. His books on sauces, pastry and cheese are just classics.
Ultimate comfort food?
I love junk food, but good junk food. I’ll make a proper buttermilk-fried chicken burger with homemade brioche buns and eat it while sitting on the sofa watching Peep Show.
What’s always in your fridge?
Chilli oil, gochujang, oat milk and an alarming amount of mayonnaise. I eat mayonnaise with almost everything.
Ultimate death row meal?
Starter: cured bream with pink peppercorns, tarocco oranges, fresh herbs and great olive oil – with a Kir Royale. For main, I would have a big côte de boeuf cooked over fire with garlicky hollandaise, barbecued ratte potatoes, white asparagus and a simple lamb’s lettuce salad. Dessert would have to be banana pain perdu with caramelised bananas and loads of caramel. I absolutely love banoffee flavours.
What does the future hold for Caper and Cure?
We’re on a really good trajectory. There are lots of exciting things happening – collaborations, events, more people discovering the restaurant. Something special is building and I think it’s going to become a really well-known restaurant in the UK. Personally, I’d love to stay with the group for a few more years and eventually open something of my own.
Enjoyed this interview? Read our bitesized interview with Jack Stein here.
