Mike Matthews - Food & Tabletop

Mike Matthews is a London based food director with big love for live action performance. He started his career, directing at the BBC and now collaborates with international agencies on advertising campaigns and art projects around the world.

Having directed smash hit TV series' for the likes of Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver and The Two Greedy Italians, food is his everything:

Mike: "There is nothing I love more than to see an empty plate and a bunch of very happy faces, sat around a table, moaning and groaning in jest that they’ve eaten too much; desperately trying to resist extras and then of course failing. In my films, I try to capture a sense of the food experience that exists in my life - giggles, yums, realness, oohs and lots of yesses - those delicious mistakes that end up becoming fabulous memories. Food should be exciting, spontaneous, surprising. Whether you’re cooking it. Or devouring it. Those imperfections are of course perfection. Who can resist a crunchy gnarly bit of crispy edge? It might not have been planned, but it’s certainly the bit that gets eaten first. Optimistic. Naturalistic. Exciting. Super bloomin tasty. Let’s eat."

Mike has worked for major brands including Tesco, Kellogg’s, Baileys, Grundig, Coca-Cola, Knorr, Unilever, Laphroaig and Lipton Teas. Recent agencies he’s collaborated with include Mother, BBH, Channel 4, McCann, Mullen Lowe, M&C Saatchi, adam&eveddb, Publicis & Leo Burnett.

His series ‘Mary McCartney Serves it Up’ featuring guests including Sir Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, Stella McCartney and Reese Witherspoon was nominated for an Emmy.

Oh, and Mike is a total feeder, he has a penchant for a nice hearty brew and he loves his old vinyl so can often be found on the outskirts of the UK’s largest flea markets, in search of tat and treasure.