Three's A Crowd Leeds: Head chef Matthew Casey reinvents British classics at modern gastropub

The charming gastropub, on North Street, has everything you’d want from a boozer - a lively atmosphere, great drinks and plenty of character - but its the elevated pub grub that keeps customers coming back.

Heading up the kitchen is chef Matthew Casey, who has refined dishes like fish and chips, burgers and steak with bold flavours and quality ingredients.

He entered the culinary world as a teenager, working as a kitchen porter at The Harvest Mouse in his native Wirral, a position that eventually led him to the cook line.

“I just fell in love with the energy and the passion,” the 38-year-old recalled.

In 2008, he moved to Leeds, landing a job at Arc Inspirations, the group behind city centre hotspots like Banyan, Manahatta and Box. And after 15 years learning the ins and outs of running a professional kitchen, he decided to take on a new challenge at Three’s A Crowd.

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With a flagship restaurant in Harrogate and the Leeds location opening in March last year, it offered Matthew the perfect opportunity to pursue fresh, inventive takes on traditional British fare.

“One of our staples is fish and chips, which is very popular,” he explained. “But we didn’t just want to do regular fish and chips, because everyone does that - we wanted to do it better, in a Three’s A Crowd way. We spent a lot of time developing it and getting the individual components right.”

That meant selecting the right potato variety for the chips and testing the ideal time for steaming and blanching, as every detail was meticulously considered. Haddock was chosen specifically for its texture and flavour, while the batter was crafted to achieve the right level of crispiness.

That commitment to quality is evident across the menu. Matthew’s approach to seasonal ingredients means that dishes change three or four times a year, also reflecting current food trends.

He said: “It’s all about what’s available and what’s popular, whether that’s certain cuts of meat or types of fish, and then adapting the dishes around that. We look at what other people are doing and think about how, essentially, we can make it better.”

Part of the charm at Three’s A Crowd is the relaxed pub atmosphere. It’s designed to be just as welcoming to drinkers seeking a pint as it is to diners looking for a full meal.

Matthew said: “It’s a modern gastropub. You’ve still got your pub vibe with your regulars. But then we try and do really good food too, with a focus on flavour and quality.

“We work with great suppliers like Sykes House Farm in Wetherby and we try to keep everything as local as possible. We’ve got specials on every day of the week, which gives us the chance to stretch our legs creatively as chefs and try out new things.”

Both the Leeds and Harrogate locations host regular events to draw in new guests. The popular Call My Bluff event, for instance, pairs a five-course meal with a wine tasting game where drinkers hear two stories about the tipples and must discern which is the truth.

And while Three’s A Crowd is firmly rooted in British cuisine, Matthew is excited about an event on November 14 that looks to Poland for inspiration. Diners in Harrogate will be treated to a four-course Polish meal, with offerings like Żurek, a rye sourdough soup with sausage, and different flavours of pierogi.

Matthew remains focused on perfecting his craft and ensuring that each dish speaks to his passion for British cuisine. His current favorite? Steak. He said: “Getting the balance and the seasonings right, making sure it’s tender and delicious, that’s where I strive to be the best.”