Portrait of Luke Matthews
i. Biography
Luke Matthews is Executive Head Chef of The Dining Room at Chewton Glen in New Milton, the defining role in a career tied to Chewton Glen. His cooking is inventive and cosmopolitan, built around locally sourced ingredients.
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The Climb
Luke Matthews trained at Bournemouth & Poole College.
Today
At The Dining Room, the brief is direct: lead the kitchen with food that looks outward while drawing from nearby produce. The role gives his career a clear through-line into a long-running senior kitchen post.
In Their Words “I loved being in the kitchen from the minute I stepped into it, and I loved the food.” “Sampling the pizzas at the end of the shift was a revelation.”
Recognition
The fixed career marker is 2003, when Matthews took the Executive Head Chef role at Chewton Glen. That appointment remains the central recognition point in his professional biography.
FAQ
Asked of Luke
What is Luke Matthews's current role?
As of 2026, Luke Matthews is Executive Head Chef.
Where did Luke Matthews train or study?
Luke Matthews trained at Bournemouth & Poole College.
What is Luke Matthews known for?
Inventive, cosmopolitan food using locally sourced ingredients.
Explore
In the same rooms
The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Luke Matthews in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
Free. One email a week, and you can unsubscribe from any issue.