Winner Scottish Food Scholarship 2008 announced

The winner and runners-up of the Scottish Food Scholarship 2008 were announced yesterday at the Scottish Food Scholarship Awards at the glittering awards dinner at the George Hotel in Edinburgh only hours after the final at Cook School by Martin Wishart. The final followed three semi-finals at Ayr College, Edinburgh Telford College and Cook School by Martin Wishart.

The winner of the Scottish Food Scholarship 2008 is Jamie Wakeford from De Vere Cameron House Hotel at Loch Lomond.

Jamie won with a dish of pan-seared sea bass and scallop mousse, served with carrot puree, butter glazed sea kale and a citrus emulsion and a dessert of rhubarb and orange with ginger sabayon and citrus biscuits.Jamie won a range of amazing prizes (please see list below).

Second place went to Yvonne Noon from Lynnet Leisure in Glasgow and third place to Andrew Field from Old Course Hotel in St Andrews, who also won the prize for the best presentation.

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 runners up are:

Vladimirs Kruus from Radisson SAS, Edinburgh

Paula McEwen from The Witchery, Edinburgh

Lesley McQuiston from Lochgreen House Hotel, Troon

Duncan Campbell from The Lime Tree An Ealdhain, Fort William

Ross Cochrane from Howies Restaurant, Aberdeen

The competitors were judged by five of Scotland’s top chefs including Martin Wishart, Jeff Bland, Keith Braidwood, Tony Borthwick and Bruce Rennie. Each competitor was given a box of Scottish ingredients and allocated a set time to create, cook and present a starter and main course.

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 Royal 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 were looking for competence, an ability to work with seasonal ingredients, technical skills and individual flair in a designated time frame.

For further information please contact Hanneke Faber at Crimson Edge PR

Tel: +44 (0)131 311 7050

Fax: +44 (0)131 311 7051

Email: [email protected]

Editor’s notes

www.scottishfoodscholarship.co.uk

Prizes

First prize

· A trip to Luxembourg to visit the Boch family castle with Villeroy & Boch

· An internship at Restaurant Martin Wishart

· A set of engraved pots from All Clad

· A City of Edinburgh three-day pass with overnight stay (EIC)

· The opportunity to create Edinburgh’s signature dish 2008 (EIC)

· The opportunity to demonstrate at the Taste festival in Edinburgh (EIC)

· The opportunity to demonstrate at Edinburgh’s farmers’ market (EIC)

· A year’s supply of fresh herbs (at one order per week) from Scotherbs.

· A year’s supply of cooking wine for the winner’s establishment from Gourmet Classic

· Media exposure from Crimson Edge PR

Second Prize

· A trip to Terra Madre, the world meeting of food communities of the Slow Food movement, in Turin, Italy

· The opportunity to cook on board The Flying Scotsman

· An internship at Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles

Third prize

· Training at Barry Callebaut Banbury Academy

· A trip to a European vineyard for the winner and his/her senior manager with Inverarity Vaults

Best presentation

· A decanter from Villeroy & Boch

All Finalists

· Set of knives from Rational

· Custom designed plate from Villeroy & Boch

· Parmesan grater from Villeroy & Boch

· Personalised jacket from Bragard

· City of Edinburgh one-day pass

· Media exposure from Crimson Edge PR

The competition

· The cook-offs were held at Ayr College on Monday 28th January, Telford College and Cook School by Martin Wishart, both in Edinburgh on 4th February.

· The final was held on Monday 3rd of March at Cook School by Martin Wishart.

Cook School by Martin Wishart, 14 Bonnington Road, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 9JD; Tel – 0131 555 6655;

· The winners were be announced at a glittering ceremony and dinner at the George Hotel.

· To enquire about entering or sponsoring the 2009 Scottish Food Scholarship please contact Crimson Edge PR.

Sponsors

· The main sponsor of the Scottish Food Scholarship 2008 is Edinburgh Inspiring Cuisine.

· Other major sponsors are the oven specialists Rational, who will give the winner a prize of a set of knives; leading table wear producer Villeroy & Boch, who are supplying the contestants with plates and take the winner on a trip to Luxembourg; and suppliers of metal ware to the catering trade, All Clad, who are also supplying the winner with a set of engraved pots.

· Luxury Belgian chocolatier Cacao Barry will provide a training at the Barry Callebaut Banbury Academy; Slow Food UK, who promote retaining the diverse heritage of regional food and drink, and environmental issues, will provide a trip to Terra Madre in Turin; professional clothes manufacturer Bragard will supply all finalists with embroidered chef’s jackets. Other sponsors include M&J Seafoods, Inverarity Vaults, Graham’s, The Family Dairy, Catering in Scotland, Gourmet Classic, Scotherbs, Speyside Glenlivet, Phantassie Organic Vegetable Boxes, and Strathspey Mushrooms

Martin Wishart

· Edinburgh born Martin Wishart began his career working alongside world-renowned chefs at some of the finest restaurants including Albert Roux’s Grand Hotel in Amsterdam, Michael Roux Jr at Le Gavroche and The Restaurant Marco Pierre White, both in London, and at Marc Meneau’s celebrated restaurant in Vezelay, France.

· Restaurant Martin Wishart opened on The Shore in Edinburgh in 1999 and Wishart’s imitable French style, that incorporates the best Scottish produce, earned the restaurant its first Michelin star in 2001 and a fourth AA Rosette in January 2005. Restaurant Martin Wishart, 54 The Shore, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RA.

Braehead Foods Ltd

· Braehead Foods Ltd is based in Kilmarnock, Scotland and supplies high quality game and specialty produce to delicatessens, pubs and restaurants across the UK. Braehead Foods is in the process of building a purpose built 30,000 sq foot factory with demonstration kitchens for the industry and cookery school for schools and the public. The company currently turns over £5 million per annum. Braehead Foods, Bonnyton Estate, Munro Place, Kilmarnock, 01563 550 008

· Braehead Foods sources game from over 100 estates across Scotland, including venison, pheasant, partridge, grouse and rabbit. It is the only supplier in Scotland of Gressingham Duck. The company also supplies cheese, oils, flour and Cacao Barry chocolate.