This autumn, Matthew Ryle - Executive Chef Partner of Maison and Café François - joins Charlie Hibbert, Chef Director of the Ox Barn, for Thyme’s first ever restaurant takeover.
Raised in Purley-on-Thames, Matt’s love for French food was sparked not in a Michelin kitchen, but in his youth, through mountain croque monsieurs and scalding French onion soup. Now, after years spent mastering his culinary skills - including a formative stint under Raymond Blanc - he is publishing his first cookbook, French Classics. Together in the Ox Barn restaurant, Matt and Charlie will serve a menu celebrating the best of French cooking, using the finest seasonal ingredients from Thyme’s kitchen gardens.
Matt will be signing copies of French Classics on the night. The book can be pre-ordered when you reserve your table or purchased during the event.
Thank you to Aurox, for supplying the meat for this event.
Matthew Ryle
Matthew Ryle’s love of French food started from an early age; holidays in France with his family had him slurping crème caramels, tasting his first croque madame on the slopes of the Alps, and burning his tongue on his first mouthful of French onion soup.
His passion led him to culinary school, then to the Michelin-starred kitchen of Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, then to Isabel in Mayfair before becoming Chef Partner at the critically acclaimed Maison François, the modern-day French brasserie, and the recently opened Café François, both in London. His love of French cooking is reflected on his social channels, where he shares his favourite recipes, tips and skills that have helped him over the years, gathering a growing following of over two million.
Charlie Hibbert
Charlie Hibbert grew up in a family of people who love to cook and entertain. The kitchen quickly became his favourite place to be, and he started working at the Swan at Southrop when he was 13-years-old as a kitchen porter.
Charlie went on to train at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, before honing his skills under the guidance of renowned chef Jeremy Lee MBE at Quo Vadis in London. His mother, Caryn Hibbert, founded Thyme in 2007 and in 2018, Charlie returned to the Cotswolds to open the Ox Barn - to wide acclaim. He later took over the kitchen operations of the Swan also. His recipes have since been featured in publications including The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, and House & Garden.
French Classics by Matthew Ryle
French food is having a real renaissance, in no small part due to Matthew Ryle's accessible and homely approach to this most classic of cuisines. French Classics is full of dishes that have stood the test of time, and deserve a place at your table. Ryle dispels myths while showcasing mouth-watering and achievable recipes; it's food for big tables and made for sharing.
Whether you’re looking to make the perfect Croque Madame for lunch, batch cook some Beef Bourguignon for the freezer, surprise on date night with Steak Diane, or wow your family and friends with a 'Grande Bouffe’, French Classics has you covered - and will leave you wondering why you haven’t been cooking this food your whole life. With a 70/30 split of ‘Easy’ vs ‘Elevated’ dishes, there’s something for everyone, be they novice or expert.