MATTHEW HOGGARD made his name in the smoking hot rivalry with Australia – now he’s cooking up a storm with his very own BBQ school.
Friday marks the 20th anniversary of Hoggard and his England team-mates regaining the Ashes after 18 long, painful years.
GettyMatthew Hoggard took 16 wickets during the 2005 Ashes series[/caption]
SunSportHe now runs his very own BBQ cooking school, Hoggy’s Grill[/caption]
SunSportThe bowler retired in 2013 after a stint as Leicestershire captain and stayed in the area[/caption]
SunSportWe served up some burgers with cheese and bacon[/caption]
Hoggard, 48, played a key role in the famous series with 16 wickets – but ironically it was the bowler’s moment with the bat that etched his name into English cricket folklore.
His four off a Brett Lee full toss put England within touching distance of beating the Aussies in the Fourth Test at Trent Bridge, which put the hosts 2-1 up, before they secured a draw at The Oval on September 12, 2005 to snatch the urn back from Shane Warne and Co.
But after retiring in 2013 following a stint as Leicestershire captain, Hoggard has stayed in the area – and launched his new career.
He dabbled in insurance and foreign currency before wife Sarah told him to do something he was passionate about.
His response? Eating and drinking.
The former Celebrity Masterchef contestant launched his very own BBQ cookery school just before lockdown hit at the start of 2020 – but it is now thriving with grilling masterclasses and one-to-one sessions with the cricketer-turned-chef.
SunSport headed to the shores of Rutland Water to visit Hoggy’s Grill, where we rustled up some delicious grub – a spatchcock chicken, lemon and lime prawns and handmade burgers – before gobbling it down and discussing his venture.
Hoggard – who applied to go to university and wanted to be a vet before earning his cricket break – said: “You talk about barbecues in the UK and people normally talk about sausages, burgers and chicken.
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“They pre-cook the chicken in the oven, get rubbish patties from a supermarket and burn the sausages.
“But we’ve cooked souffles on the grill, we’ve cooked pavlovas on the grill, we’ve cooked Yorkshire puddings on the grill. There’s nothing you can’t cook on a grill that you can cook inside.
“And it’s giving the people the confidence and the know-how to set up their grills as ovens, as grills, as in-between both, and as a smoker.
“I’m a feeder. I love feeding people and them saying that it was nice. We do kids’ classes and they go, ‘Wow, this is amazing. This is the best burger I’ve ever had.’
“But then you say, ‘But you made it.’
“It fills me with a lot of pride and a lot of satisfaction that people can make decent food.
“We’ve had people who haven’t sliced a potato before, haven’t cooked before, haven’t done any of the prep before go away saying that that was the best meal they’ve had.
SunSportHoggard has turned from cricketer to cook[/caption]
SunSportHe puts on masterclasses and one-to-one sessions at Hoggy’s Grill[/caption]
SunSportWe served up prawns with a mango and pomegranate salad[/caption]
SunSportThe former England international is enjoying his new career[/caption]
“Because you give people the techniques, then they can go and cook anything.
“I get really passionate about people learning new skills at cooking. And that’s why we set up this place.”
Hoggy’s passion for cooking sparked as a young teenager in Yorkshire when he was still hungry after dinner – and was given freedom to experiment in the kitchen.
Two seasons playing for Free State as a young overseas pro in South Africa, though, fuelled his love of barbecuing – or braaing as the Proteas say.
So much so that Hoggard has done Christmas dinners and food for New Year’s Eve parties on his grills surrounded by snow.
‘I didn’t call Tony Blair a k***head’ – Matthew Hoggard on 2005 Ashes celebrations
Exclusive by Joshua Jones
MATTHEW HOGGARD hilariously had to deny he called Tony Blair a “k***head” during the wild 2005 Ashes celebrations.
England toasted the victory with an open-top bus parade through London.
A trip to see the Prime Minister followed, where one player “decided the rhododendrons needed watering”, before a visit to the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
Hoggard, 48, told SunSport: “We celebrated quite hard. It was front pages, back pages, middle pages of all the newspapers. We let our hair down.
“It was leaving 10 Downing Street that I came into my own.
“There was a bank of photographers. Michael Vaughan put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘I wonder what they want?’
“Being a p***ed Yorkshireman, I told him, ‘They want a photo, you k***head.’ Everybody thought I called the Prime Minister a k***head.”
Hoggard bowled 2,318 overs and took 248 wickets in 67 Test matches for England.
But his son gives him stick that the only thing he is remembered for was one shot with his bat – the four off Brett Lee at Trent Bridge.
Hoggard added: “There’s something that brings people around food. If you have a dinner party at home, everybody wants to be in the kitchen.
“To have a space here where we’ve got loads of prep area and then we’re lighting fires and everybody’s gathering round… it’s not work. I enjoy watching people eat what they’ve cooked.
“There’s something Neanderthal, something that brings you around fire.
“I could sit around a fire watching the flames dance, mesmerised all night.
“But to get that lovely smell and aroma and ambience of fire cooking when the flames have died down and you’re sat around chatting – sometimes nonsense, sometimes really deep and meaningful things – I just fell in love with that lifestyle.
“I couldn’t think of anything better.”
Not even winning the Ashes, Hoggy?
To find out more about Hoggy’s Grill or sign up for a masterclass, head to www.hoggysgrill.com
SunSportHe takes pride in helping teach people how to cook and learn new skills[/caption]
SunSportSunSport’s Joshua Jones got stuck in making the burgers[/caption]
SunSportHoggy’s Grill opened just before lockdown hit in 2020[/caption]
SunSportHoggy’s top tip is to get good quality charcoal and use the lid to control air flow and temperature[/caption]
GettyMichael Vaughan lifted the famous urn after a memorable 2-1 win[/caption]
Channel 4Hoggard hit a crucial four off Brett Lee late on in the Trent Bridge Test[/caption]
GettyAshley Giles and Hoggard saw England over the line to put them 2-1 up with one Test remaining[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
