Gilbert branching out to put fresh topping on range of skills
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IT is not only rugby which has been keeping Mat Gilbert busy this summer. The Hartpury flanker has made a mobile pizza oven – out of an old horse trailer.
Gumbie’s Wood Fired Pizza is the 32-year-old’s latest business venture, following on from his mobile coffee enterprise The Galloping Barista.
Mr Gilbert said: “I converted a trailer into a coffee business during the last off season and I was looking for something to do this summer.
“I thought it would be good to diversify. I had a look around at what people were doing in terms of food and what people want and I thought a mobile pizza oven was a good idea.”
The experienced forward wanted to stand out from the crowd.
“I wanted something different with the look – not just a plain white food van like the ones you see everywhere,” he said.
“The horse trailers from the 1950s and 60s are really stylish and they catch the eye. You’ve got to grab people’s attention because obviously you want them to buy your product.”
When Gilbert was playing at Bath between 2012 and 2014 he did courses organised by the Rugby Players’ Association which gave him some useful practical skills.
And with the help of Google and Youtube, he was able to make his visions come to life.
He used half a Swiss gym ball to create the dome required for the oven, which is largely made out of vermiculite, a light material ideal for heat insulation.
After trying out different pizza recipes – he makes it all himself – Gilbert was ready to take it out on the road and his first function was the 50th birthday of Rich Mack, Hartpury’s physio.
“I went down there, ended up cooking more than 50 pizzas and they were very well received,” he added.
As Hartpury are a semiprofessional club it allows the England Deaf international to try out his ventures away from the game.
The Galloping Barista operates at the ground on weekends and he is hoping to get the pizza trailer into regular use, possibly training academy players who want to earn some extra money to run it when he is playing. He said: “We enjoyed our first season in the Championship last year but we didn’t finish as high up the league (10th) as we would have hoped. “Pre-season has been going well this summer. The club has recruited some quality players and we’re looking forward to the Championship campaign. “Hopefully, I’ve got a few years’ left playing in me, but planning what you want to do after rugby is absolutely crucial.” Gumbie’s Wood Fired Pizza is available for private hire and events in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Somerset. He hopes to take it to festivals and events in the Cotswolds and across the