A few years ago I joined a cookery session with some of England’s top rugby players. Not a lot of people can say such a thing - but I really did cook with a group of guys from the Exeter Chiefs some years ago. They were being given a lesson in the kitchens of one of their favourite fuelling stations….

By which I mean the excellent Jack in the Green gastro-pub at Rockbeare just outside Exeter. Both Paul Parnell (the owner) and Matt Mason (head chef for 28 years ) are great rugby fans and they had some deal or other which allowed the Chiefs to go there for massive steaks and whatever… My daughter Nancy came along to take some photos - at a time when she was just beginning her photography career.

Matt has now moved on from the Jack after more than a quarter of a century at the Jack’s stoves. Below I include a note about what he’s doing now .

But here I’d like to say how much I enjoyed meeting with Matt down the years. We worked on many food articles together which appeared in the Western Morning News, including features about the really good recipe book which the Jack produced - and another about Matt’s 25th anniversary at this remarkable inn.  

Anyway, this is how I began the article about learning to cook with the Exeter Chiefs…

Everyone knows that the human body needs fuel, but some bodies need more sustenance than others. And in some cases - when you are talking about very big, extremely hard-working, bodies - what’s needed are enormous quantities of high-octane rocket fuel.

Set 20-stone of solid muscle working and battling on a Premiership rugby pitch for a game that lasts 80-minutes, and you really do need to know that every single atom in your power-source is giving what’s needed.

The old idea of rugger players swilling vast amounts of beer as fuel is as extinct as a that of a fag-smoking striker lighting a gasper at half-time during a football match - today’s top sportsmen are athletes through and through and they take their diets very seriously indeed.

Which is why the Western Morning News found itself surrounded by half a dozen hungry but gentle giants in the big kitchen of a well known Devon gastropub the other day, watching as the head chef prepared some of the aforementioned rocket fuel. 

Not that anything that propels any kind of machine could ever taste as good as the dishes which Matthew Mason, of the Jack In The Green, was putting together for the six Exeter Chiefs players and one hungry - but anywhere near as ravenous - journalist. 

Matt had dreamed up some simple to prepare but utterly delicious recipes to show the young players just how easy it was to put together amazing home-cooked food without requiring even GCSE-level catering skills - and the Jack’s affable owner, Paul Parnell (who sponsors the Chief’s weekly Man of the Match award) kindly invited me along.

Paul said: “Lots of your readers will be parents who have sporty kids at home who are preparing for some big match or other. They night be wondering what to cook for them - and Matt’s ideas will work well in any home kitchen. If it’s good enough for the Exeter Chiefs boys battling away in the Premiership, it’s good enough for anyone.”

I’d like to bring you up to date with what’s happening at the Jack in the Green soon - but in the mean time here’s some information i’ve received about Matt’s new role at the Winslade Manor Restaurant and Bar. It was supposed to be opening its doors in time for Valentine’s day 2021 with Matt Mason at the helm, but of course that will be delayed because of the lockdowns.

I am told: “The operations company Vida, which means life, is behind Exeter’s newest dining and wellbeing experience at Winslade Park, Clyst St Mary, and is headed up by co-founders, Joe Hammond (formerly of Woodbury Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club) and Tom Johnson (former England and Exeter Chief professional rugby player) with the support of Mark Edworthy and Paul Scantlebury of Burrington Estates.

“The new head chef, Matt, is no stranger when it comes to building a legacy in the restaurant business. After 28 years at one of East Devon’s most loved restaurants, he joins the Vida Spaces team together with his wife Jo Mason (restaurant manager), to take on one of the most exciting roles of his career.  

The blurb goes on… Born and raised in Mid Devon, Matt’s fascination with food came from growing up in a rural farming community, where many of his friends and neighbours farmed the land in which he spent most of his time. If not on the farm, Matt could be found at his parent’s allotment, growing and cultivating seasonal produce. Matt’s philosophy when it comes to cooking stems from these childhood experiences and can be seen throughout all his menus today. 

After serving his apprenticeship under the tutelage of Shaun Hill at Gidleigh Park, Matt took the next step to running his own kitchen and donned his chef whites at the Jack in the Green in 1995. After just one year, Matt’s culinary expertise saw the pub achieve 2 AA rosettes - and was one of the first pubs to do so. From South West Chef of the Year to being invited to join the distinguished few into the Master Chefs of Great Britain, it’s not hard to see why Joe and Tom were keen for Matt to join their winning team.

How does Matt feel about taking such a big leap into this brand new venture? “Joining the Vida team and being asked to lead the entire food offering at Winslade Park is a huge honour. Jo and I are immensely proud to have left a legacy at The Jack, and we bring our passion for creating memorable experiences for guests to Winslade Manor Restaurant. Starting with a complete blank canvas is every chef’s dream. From the design of the kitchen, to the creation of the menus and hand selecting everything from the crockery, linens and staff, we’ve had complete carte blanche throughout the entire process, with unprecedented support from the Viva team”, Matt explains.

When it comes to selecting the perfect ingredients, Matt’s little black book of local suppliers is firmly staying with him. A loyal customer for almost three decades, the head chef will continue to support local businesses, such as Dart Fresh, Creedy Carver, Darts Farm, Flying Fish Seaford and Country Farm to name but a few, where quality, freshness and consistency are guaranteed.

The dining experience at Winslade Manor Restaurant has been described as ‘casual elegant’ and will be nothing short of fabulous. Guests can expect wholesome local cuisine, bursting with seasonal flavours, that are not only pleasing to the palate but offer a visual reward,  complementing the whole dining experience.