Meet the Chef: Rob Boer at The Mutton in Hampshire

From making apple crumbles with his mum to dishing up Japanese Pancakes as head chef at The Mutton, Rob Boer has had a brilliant career so far.

READ MORE: 

• Meet the Basingstoke chef inspired by his grandma's passion to cook professionally

• The Old Basing chef who began cooking to help family during mother's cancer battle

Just a short drive from Basingstoke, the pub is set in a gorgeous location with delicious food to match. 

Inspired to bring people joy with his food, Rob is this month's Meet the Chef. 

Want to get involved? Answer the questions here. 

See what he has to say below

Tell us a bit about your career so far...

I grew up and worked in London until I was 19. Then, I moved to Cornwall and spent a year working for Nathan Outlaw before settling in the Winchester area. I worked for four years at the Black Rat and another four years at The Montagu Arms, both of which held a Michelin star during my time there.

What inspired you to become a chef?

I love cooking food that brings people joy. It's fulfilling to see happy faces and smiles after a meal I've prepared.

What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?

Apple crumble with my mum.

Delicious meals served up at The Mutton

What is your signature dish?

I’m not a big fan of ‘signature dishes’ because I find them somewhat limiting. At The Mutton, we have dishes on the menu where the foundation remains the same, but we love to experiment with various flavour combinations and ingredients. For instance, one of our most popular starters is a homemade crumpet, and we regularly switch up the toppings according to what’s in season. Over the past year, we’ve served the crumpet with mutton and red cabbage, smoked salmon and cucumber chutney, and beer tartare with a slow cooked egg yolk. We do the same thing with our cheesecakes!

What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?

I love our starter of Japanese Pancakes, which we serve with crispy duck, sesame and smoked tuna flakes.

What is your favourite place to eat in Hampshire and why?

As a chef, finding time to eat out can be challenging, especially with three children! When I do manage to dine out, apart from The Mutton, I love Josie's—they serve amazing brunch dishes and great coffee!

Anyone else's mouth watering?

What is your favourite meal to eat at home?

Lasagne! It’s such a comforting and delicious dish that’s perfect for after a long day.

What is your culinary guilty pleasure?

I love scrambled eggs with sriracha.. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Which key ingredient is always in your fridge?

Butter and eggs!

Which chef do you most admire and why?

I worked with Matt Tomkinson at both the Montagu Arms and then the Betony. We worked well together and shared a very similar taste in food. I admire his approach to running kitchens – cool, calm and collected. It’s the same way I run the kitchen at The Mutton!