Aberdeen semi-finalists announced for Scottish Food Scholarship 2008 – Fishupdate.com

FOLLOWING a huge response from chefs from across Scotland, the semi-finalists of the Scottish Food Scholarship 2008 have been announced today for the Aberdeen ‘cook off’ to be held at Aberdeen College.

This will be the first of three semi-finals and will take place on Monday January 21 culminating in a final at the newly opened Cook School by Martin Wishart in Edinburgh on Monday March 3 2008.

The main sponsor of the Scottish Food Scholarship 2008 is Edinburgh Inspiring Cuisine, a body established by the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian to promote Edinburgh’s restaurants and local food and drink producers in a bid to attract new visitors to the city. The winner of the Scholarship will be required to create a recipe inspired by the capital, ‘Edinburgh’s Signature Dish’, which will be included on different menus around the city over the course of the year, including Restaurant Martin Wishart’s lunch menu.

The culinary talent chosen for the Aberdeen cook-off includes:

. Graeme Anderson from The Inn at Lathones, St Andrews;

. Duncan Campbell from The Lime Tree An Ealdhain, Fort William;

. Ross Cochrane from Howies Restaurant, Aberdeen;

. Andrew Field from Old Course Hotel, St Andrews;

. Gregory Johnston from Eurest, Dundee;

. Thomas Marshall from Boath House Hotel, Nairn;

. Zara McDougall from Inverlodge Hotel, Sutherland; and

. James McMahon from Dornoch Castle Hotel, Sutherland

Inaugurated in 2006, the Scottish Food Scholarship is a national competition open to talented young chefs aged 18-25 years. The scholarship not only aims to nurture talent, but opens doors for the winning chef. The winner carries out a series of internships, working with some of the best in the food and catering world, including an internship with Martin Wishart at his eponymous Restaurant Martin Wishart and Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles; the opportunity to cook on the famous Flying Scotsman; and a trip to the Boch family chateau in Luxembourg with Villeroy & Boch.

The competition is organised by Martin Wishart, Braehead Foods Ltd and Crimson Edge PR. Scotland’s Michelin-starred chef Wishart commented: “With the current shortage of professionally-trained staff in the industry this is an important time to encourage young chefs and to help them to build and develop their skills. The Scottish Food Scholarship has been established to reward the effort and dedication of those at the beginning of their careers.”

The prestigious judging panel, which includes Martin Wishart, Bruce Rennie, Tony Borthwick, Keith Braidwood, Jeff Bland, Matthew Gray and Tom Kitchin will be looking for competence, an ability to work with seasonal ingredients and individual flair in a designated time frame.

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