Most chefs confess to a preference for small gatherings, and Christopher Matthews is no exception. While he handles larger affairs with aplomb, he’s happiest doing intimate dinner parties for 20 or cocktails for 50, where the food is as important as the company. Hors d’oeuvre are not of the typical mini-quiche variety; flavours range from complex (sparkling tomato water with cucumber caviar and roasted garlic foam) to simple classics (brochette of Parma ham and melon with arugula); everything is beautifully presented and precision crafted, such as a parmesan-asparagus galette with pork belly and exactly three peppercorns. A sit-down dinner could feature roasted quail with plantain frites, toasted quinoa, peppercorn granita, herb-infused syrup and a savoury truffle, followed by rhubarb galette with cherry-sake syrup and crème anglaise.