MATTHEW BURGESS

A proud New Zealand Māori, Matt Burgess embarked on his culinary journey in Wellington, honing his skills in some of the city’s most renowned establishments, including Dockside, Café Laffare, and the legendary Matterhorn.

In 1998, Matt relocated to London, commencing his tenure at the newly established Soho House on Greek Street. Subsequently, he held positions as a Senior Chef at Bluebird in Chelsea, Gordon Ramsay’s Maze Grill, and Jamie Oliver’s Threadneedle Street.

In 2015, Matt was appointed as the Group Executive Chef at Caravan and Vardo Restaurants, where he played a pivotal role in the expansion of the brand from two to seven locations.

With over three decades of experience, Matt Burgess, often referred to as @matblak on Instagram, initiated his next venture in 2022 by establishing his own food consultancy business, Kaiwhenua.

At Kaiwhenua, which translates to “food from the land” in his native Māori language, Matt now crafts innovative recipes for esteemed companies such as Goodman Steak House Group, Beast restaurant, London Shuffle Club, Busaba Ethai, and the premium ceramic BBQ brand Big Green Egg, among others.

A passionate live fire and BBQ enthusiast, Matt serves as a content creator and ambassador for several prominent global BBQ brands, including Weber and Big Green Egg.

Matt Burgess operates seasonal sell-out supperclubs known as Kaiwhenua show casing food from the land and sea, held at various locations, including the prestigious Fortnum and Mason, YETI ambassador hunter-gather cook in East Sussex, The Big Feastival and Caravan coffee roasters.

Additionally, Matt has created and launched a range of award winning , best-selling condiment brands under the name “Kai by Matblak,” which are now available in a few of London’s premier retailers, Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason.

In 2025, Matt will introduce a new business venture called “Kai at Home,” offering a bespoke restaurant-quality experience at your event, catering or home