A Hampshire chef at a hospitality group has been featured in a new book.
Matt Whitfield, executive chef of Ideal Collection, which includes Kimbridge Barn, Boathouse at Swanwick, The White Horse at Otterbourne and The Bugle in Hamble, was one of the chefs selected by photographer John Carey.
The book highlights the pandemic’s effect on bars and restaurants and is published five years after the industry ground to a halt, closing their doors and adapting to new rules.
It also shares Matt’s personal journey battling a rare movement disorder called task-specific dystonia, which causes involuntary muscle spasms in his right hand.
Matt’s story is one of 180 featured in the book supporting the Burnt Chef Project (Image: Briscoe PR)READ MORE: Harry Potter cocktail bar owners look to open second ‘magical’ venue
This forced him to re-educate himself to be able to use his left hand in the kitchen.
Matt said: “I’d lost movement in my dominant hand and had to re-learn everything I knew.”
The book honours the hospitality sector’s resilience during the pandemic, with proceeds promoting mental health awareness through The Burnt Chef Project.