Howdy, I’m Matthew! Pleased to meet you 🙂
Casual enjoyer of traditional European comfort food, home cook, and certified pizzamaker.
When I’m not publishing new recipes to my blog, I’m usually spending my time in the kitchen, sitting at the café, or socialising in my lovely neighbourhood in the beautiful city I now call home, Porto, Portugal.
Me (on the right) receiving my pizzamaker certificate from the maestro (on the left).
My goal is to share traditional European cuisine, my own inspired recipes, and simple comfort food.
A little bit more about me
I am not a master chef nor have I attended culinary school. Everything I learnt in the kitchen came through plenty of trial and error. I’ve worked in pubs and restaurants in Canada, Germany, and the UK, but it was during my five years in Germany working in a French bistro where I developed an appreciation for traditional and inspired cuisine. Living in Italy, I trained to become a professional pizzamaker through Pizzaioli Italiani as well as the simplicity of Italian cuisine. And living here in Portugal, well, I can say that traditional Portuguese food is certainly inspiring and world-class.
That being said, I’ve noticed a lot of people – especially younger people – often lack the skills or confidence to cook at home, and instead depend too frequently on processed food and fast food. If I can learn how to cook at home, anyone can! I’m hoping to inspire people of all ages to be a little more confident in the kitchen so they can eat well, save money, and learn how to build their skills in the kitchen.
Why my recipes are genuine
Every single recipe that I post on this website is a recipe that I have personally made – either for myself, friends, family, or in restaurants. I’m a huge fan of YouTube cooking channels, both big and small, with Chef John, Chef Jean-Pierre, Refika’s Kitchen, and several others being huge inspirations.
All of the food images you see on the website are mine. I realise I’m not the best photographer, but I want to show you genuinely what my dishes look like according to the recipes I write. And yes, I write all content myself, too.
If you’re interested in knowing more about my recipes or perhaps need a recipe blogger or freelance writer for your site, send your enquiries to me at oldcountrytable@proton.me.