Chef of the Week: Chef Matt Beardmore of Legare & Luna, London
Chef Matt Beardmore has built his career around a deep respect for ingredients, seasonality, and the traditions that shape the way we eat. After learning the fundamentals of classical cooking at Boodles, he spent four formative years at London’s acclaimed Trullo, where his love for Italian cuisine and ingredient-led cooking really took hold.
Today, Matt is the chef behind Legare, the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in Bermondsey that explores Italy’s regional cooking through the lens of exceptional seasonal British produce, and Luna, its more relaxed wine-bar sibling inspired by the convivial drinking and dining cultures of Paris and Barcelona.
In this week’s Chef of the Week feature, Matt talks about what he learned from travelling through Asia, where he draws the line between authenticity and adaptation, why some Italian ingredients simply can’t be replaced, and how Legare approaches Italy’s extraordinarily diverse regional food traditions. He also shares the dish that best captures his cooking philosophy, the British ingredient he believes deserves more attention, and one deceptively simple technique that can help make anyone a better home cook.
1. You began your career in the classical kitchens of Boodles before spending four formative years at Trullo, where you rose to Senior Sous Chef. Looking back, what were the most important lessons you took from those two very different kitchens, and how did they shape the chef you’ve become?
My time at Boodle’s really taught me the fundamentals of cookery and being part of a classical kitchen brigade. It was the epitome of old school and absolutely fascinating for a 20 year old me having just moved to London. Trullo was where I really fell in love with Italian cuisine and amazing quality, seasonal produce being at the forefront of everything they do.
2. Before joining Trullo, you spent a year travelling across Asia, learning about food systems, farming, and local produce. How did that experience change the way you think about ingredients, and do you still find yourself drawing on those lessons today?
I felt that there was a deep connection with food across Asia that is somewhat lacking here, and the cultural identity around food is so inspiring. In India especially, food is everywhere you look and I felt that people certainly have a closer understanding of where it comes from and with that comes a certain respect for each meal as well as being deeply tied to spirituality and community. It completely changed the way I think about food systems in this country and opened my eyes to how separated we as consumers are from it.
3. Legare was built around a simple but fascinating idea: celebrating the regional cuisines of Italy using the very best seasonal British produce. When recreating an Italian classic, what are you trying to remain faithful to—the recipe, the ingredient, or the spirit of the dish?
I will never claim to have truly recreated an Italian classic, they’d run me out of town. I will always try to honour the spirit of the dish in the best way I know how, and there’s nothing wrong with the odd tweak here or there.
I will never claim to have truly recreated an Italian classic, they’d run me out of town.
4. Some people equate authenticity with importing Italian ingredients, while others believe it’s about respecting the traditions behind the food. Where do you draw that line at Legare?
We’ll always try to source as locally as possible but there are certain ingredients that just won’t compare, be that due to climate or generations of knowledge and expertise. You can’t just replace Parmesan for example, and Italian tomatoes at the peak of their season really are something special.
5. Legare earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand while staying true to its identity as a neighbourhood restaurant. Do you think there’s a growing appreciation for restaurants that prioritise warmth, accessibility, and great value alongside exceptional cooking?
Absolutely, we have always wanted to create an atmosphere where everyone is welcome. Restaurants should be a place where people come together, relax and share some wonderful food without breaking the bank.
Sadly with rising costs in almost every aspect of running a restaurant it is becoming more and more of a challenge to uphold great value and quality side by side.
6. Is there one dish currently on the Legare menu that best represents you as a chef? What makes it so personal, and what does it reveal about your philosophy in the kitchen?
Polpettine in brodo. The meatball recipe is one of the first ones we worked on when opening Legare. The brodo (broth) part takes a seriously long time to make and combining the rustic meatballs with the crystal clear consommé, I think, is something really special. A great example of using inexpensive ingredients and applying the right techniques to achieve a beautiful thing.
7. Italian cuisine is incredibly regional, yet outside Italy most people know only a small fraction of its dishes. Are there one or two lesser-known regional specialties that you think deserve far more attention—and that home cooks should absolutely try?
When looking for menu inspiration we are always researching weird and wonderful recipes in the many different regions of Italy. We will pick 3 or 4 regions to focus on for each menu which allows us to delve deeper into the vast labyrinth of Italian cuisine.
Culurgiones are one of my favourite super-regional dishes. From the province of Ogliastra in Sardinia, they are a kind of dumpling filled with mashed potatoes, pecorino and mint, usually served with a rich tomato sauce. A bit fiddly at first but well worth a try.
8. Last year, you opened Luna, a wine bar inspired by the convivial cultures of Paris and Barcelona. Legare and Luna share the same seasonal philosophy, yet they have very different personalities. When a beautiful ingredient arrives from one of your suppliers, how do you decide whether it belongs on the menu at Legare or Luna?
When gorgeous produce is at its peak, especially the ones with a short season, I’ve got no issue with it appearing on a menu multiple times or across both sites. Make hay while the sun shines!
9. Cooking for a wine bar is very different from creating a traditional restaurant menu. What makes a dish the perfect companion to a great glass of wine?
One of the best things about coming up with dishes for Luna is presenting it to the team and coming up with some wines to pair with it. Our wine experts are always up for the challenge and never fail to come up with the perfect pairing, whatever flavours are involved.
The menu is designed so you can have a few carefully chosen snacks to accompany our wines by the glass or go all in and have a feast with a big bottle or two.
10. What’s one British seasonal ingredient that you believe is genuinely world-class but still doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves?
Peas. I always hold off until the British peas land, usually several weeks after the Italian ones, but it’s so worth the wait. A great one to grow at home too if you can keep the slugs at bay.
11. Many home cooks love Italian food because it appears wonderfully simple, yet it’s often surprisingly difficult to execute well. What’s one habit, technique, or lesson that can immediately improve the way people cook at home?
Take your time cooking a sofrito. The classic combination of celery, onion and carrot is an essential base to so many dishes (ragus, risottos, pulses) and it’s well worth taking the time to chop them with love and cook low and slow to develop a deep flavour.
12. Finally, what’s next for you? Are there any regions of Italy, ingredients, wines, or new ideas you’re particularly excited to explore through Legare and Luna?
We’re working our way through every region of Italy at Legare so we’ll continue to dive ever deeper into what the wonderfully diverse cuisine has to offer. At Luna we’re looking forward to our summer series where we’ll be putting on an Andalusian inspired event at the end of the month – think gildas, gambas, octopus, and churros.
Chef Matt Beardmore
Legare | Instagram
Cardamom Building 31G Shad Thames, SE1 2YR
Luna
36 Shad Thames, London SE1 2YE, United Kingdom
