Matt Watson’s Man Cave that Celebrates Seafood & Social Cooking

Matt Watson’s Man Cave that Celebrates Seafood & Social Cooking

Best known for his entertaining maritime adventures and relaxed kiwi ‘can-do’ attitude, Matt Watson captured our attention once again when he embarked on ‘Building the Kiwi Dream’ – a television series that followed his family as they built their dream home in New Zealand’s far North, literally just a few metres from the sea.

Not long after the main house was complete, Matt embarked on the last piece of the project - his ultimate man cave that would be a hub for friends and family to gather for good food, laughter, and of course, ‘kiwi banter’.

Nestled at the rear of the family home, Matt’s man cave might look like an ordinary garage from the outside, but on the inside, it’s anything but ordinary – it perfectly combines Matt’s love for entertaining, fishing and sharing his ‘catch of the day’.

When deciding what to put in the man cave, Matt had a very clear idea. “You go to a social gathering, and if there’s a fire, that’s where the guys will gather – guaranteed.”

Matt set out to find a ‘fire pit’, but changed his mind when he came across the Escea Fire Table. “It’s like a fire pit, but it’s got the cooking functionality too,” he says.

Inspired by some special memories with his children, Matt recalls, “When the kids were little, we used to get a fire going on the beach and cook whatever we pulled out of the ocean over the open fire, and the Fire Table’s got that same feeling.”

Not just an expert at catching fish, Matt showcases his culinary skills and tips for cooking seafood on the Fire Table too.

“I’ve cooked shellfish, crayfish & whole fish, and I use either Manuka or Pohutukawa to get the best wood fire flavour, regardless of what I’m cooking.”

When it comes to his speciality, Matt explains, “My favourite thing to cook is mussels. I start them on the side of the hot plate until they open, then slide them over the grill to get some smoky flavour through them. Give them 10 minutes over the coals, slide them back out to the side and start eating. Just make sure you have a beer on standby in case you burn your lips!”

Dining directly off the table is another hit for Matt, just like they used to do on the beach “We pretty much grab a fork and eat straight off the hotplate around the fire,” he says.  “And it’s so easy to use, even just to create ambience whenever we’ve got friends over.“

And his favourite part of the Fire Table? “Without a doubt, it brings people together. Everyone’s just naturally drawn to it.”

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Nothing brings people together quite like food and flames – learn more about the EP1350 Fire Table to recreate Matt Watson’s social cooking experience.

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