Catering Scotland

Over 600 delegates attended the 11^th Scottish Chefs’ Conference at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel, Glasgow on Monday 7^th November. Founded by Willie Pike MBE and run for the first time by the Federation of Chefs Scotland, the event was the largest and most successful to date.

Demonstrating chefs this year included:

• Tom Aikens, Restaurant Tom Aikens, London
• Billy Boyter, The Cellar Restaurant Anstruther (pictured left)
• Graeme Cheevers, Restaurant Martin Wishart at Cameron House Hotel
• Jonathan MacDonald, Ox and Finch, Glasgow
• Lorna McGee, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie
• Mark Sargeant, Unilever Food Solutions (pictured left)
• Ian Scaramuzza, In Situ, San Francisco
• Julie Sharp, Callebaut Chocolatier (pictured right)

Sponsored by Bidvest Foodservice Scotland, the conference’s first ever seminar featured a chefs’ panel chaired by the Scottish Culinary Team Director, Kevin Macgillivray, and led by Albert Roux. Kildrummy Inn’s proprietor David Littlewood, chef-consultant Colin Bussey and CIS Excellence Young Chef of the Year 2016 Adam Newth completed the line-up. You can watch the video by clicking on the conference photo above, or by clicking here.

The second seminar – sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions and presented by Coeliac UK, explored the increase in gluten-free diets. Meanwhille, the Scottish Salmon Student Challenge proved a popular feature for the second year, with SRUC Elmwood Campus emerging as the winners.

During the day more than 20 of the country’s leading sponsor-suppliers exhibited in the dedicated exhibition area, while over 300 attended the conference dinner that evening.

An extended version of the conference video, produced in conjunction with Bidvest Foodservice Scotland, is available here.

The Gibby Culinary Scholarship, in memory of Alan Gibb

Created in memory of Alan Gibb, executive chef at Gleneagles who had passed away suddenly in June, the Gibby Culinary Scholarship will be awarded annually and is open to all students of a two-year course in culinary arts. With applications invited from all Scottish colleges and no age restrictions, Stage 1 of the scholarship will see 10 final candidates interviewed at Gleneagles and undertake a brief knowledge test and skills assessment. From this, the most advanced four finalists will be selected to proceed to the cook-off at the Cook School Scotland.

The winner will receive: a one-month stage at Gleneagles and a two further stages of seven days, one of which will be international. On satisfactory completion of all stages the winner will be offered either a full-time position at Gleneagles or assistance in securing employment through the industry network.

Additional information:

• The closing date for applications is Tuesday 31st January  2017
• Interviews, skills assessment and knowledge test will be w/c 20th March 2017
• Final cook-off is scheduled for Tuesday 25^th April at The Cook School Scotland, Kilmarnock

More information and photos of this year’s Scottish Chefs Conference is available at www.scottishchefsconference.co.uk.