A familiar face in Southampton, independent coffee chain Mettricks has become a staple on the city's coffee scene.

With four locations in its name, the popular coffee house has gained momentum since launching more than a decade ago.

But who creates the delicious brunch meals and pizza?

Meet Ali Braim the head chef at Mettricks' branch in the Guildhall.

What first inspired you to become a chef?

Since I was a kid I loved to cook.

Growing up I also did sports most of my life and I wanted to combine my passions.

My sport pushed me to learn more and more about cooking healthy meals, and now it's completely taken over as my passion and career.

What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?

I made my first meal when I was ten years old; I cooked fried tomatoes with lemon and salt for my mum.

Tell us about your career so far

I started my first job as a chef back in 2014.

Since then, I have been working with different nationalities and foods.

In each place I’ve worked I’ve learnt something new and am still learning.

My goal is to become a master chef and be able to share my experience and knowledge with the world.

READ MORE: Meet the chef who went from New York to a Hampshire vineyard via a Michelin star

I started by working in a restaurant that made Turkish food, and then went on to work in various Italian, British, and Asian cuisine restaurants.

I’m now working in Mettricks Guildhall as head chef and am going to be focusing on serving delicious brunch and developing a new Italian pizza menu which is coming out next week.

What is your proudest career moment to date?

I love seeing my team all doing very well, ensuring that food is going out at the right time, and that everyone is happy running their section and performing at their best.

It is crucial for me to make sure that we have five star food and service 24/7.

It means the team can keep growing together and learn more.

What is your signature dish?

My signature dish has to be a margarita pizza with garlic bread – simple but delicious. 

What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?

My current favourite meal on the menu is the Mettricks smashed avocado.

We use free-range egg, Hoxton sourdough bread and as many local ingredients as possible. Its my go-to option for brunch.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Hampshire?

I like going to Ocean Village in Southampton.

It's really modern and they have so many options, but I particularly like the food and view at Figurati.

What is your favourite meal to cook at home?

There are so many! To list a few of my favourites, vegetable chicken Biryani, bean soup, lamb leg or salmon with vegetables and baby potatoes.

They’re all such great options.

What do you like to drink with dinner?

With dinner, I drink water and sometimes a yoghurt drink.

 I’m very focused on healthy eating, so my drinks usually reflect this.

What is your culinary guilty pleasure?

My culinary guilty pleasure must be a big cheesy garlic bread with a perfectly crispy crust.

You can’t go wrong.

Which key ingredient is always in your fridge?

I'm always stocked up on salmon, vegetables, salad, cheese and eggs, as these are the key essentials to always having a good meal.

What is your favourite Hampshire ingredient or delicacy?

The locally sourced ingredients we use at Mettricks are my favourite local delicacies, this could be through the free-range eggs or Hoxton sourdough.

My other favourite local ingredient is a leg of lamb, which I often have for dinner.

Which chef do you most admire?

I really admire Chef Ramsay. I grew up watching him and I think he has a great management style.

He can be very harsh but also soft and helpful at the same time.

He has a very good balance and is able to motivate his staff well and train them to work to the best of their ability.

What’s your career ambition?

I believe that the next big restaurant trend could be sustainable and plant-based dining.

I’m extremely interested in a healthy lifestyle and this is something I want to explore throughout my career and personal life.

What do you think will be the next big restaurant trend?

That restaurants will focus on plant-based items everywhere with local live music.

This is a trend we’ve observed recently at Mettricks.

We now have vegan options on our whole menu, including pizza, cakes, beer, and brunch items.

We’ve also started to have regular live music and quizzes at some locations. I can see how this is becoming increasingly popular.