Jamie serves up winning menu in Young Highland Chef of the Year contest
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A CHEF from north Sutherland has been named as the 2019 winner of the Young Highland Chef of the Year competition.
Jamie Macleod (25), a graduate of North Highland College UHI, received the award at a celebration dinner at North Highland College UHI’s training restaurant, Burghfield House in Dornoch, on Monday.
He won a £1000 cash prize, a £2000 Robot Coupe machine and a week of work experience at the world-famous Le Gavroche in London with Michel Roux Jr.
Jamie, from Skerray, works as a sous chef at the Boath House restaurant near Nairn.
He said: “I practised a lot during my free time at Boath House and I’m delighted it has paid off. Preparation for the competition was made easy by the huge support I received from my head chef, Craig Munro.
“I used to work for Mr Roux at both the Roxburghe Hotel and Crossbasket Castle so I am looking forward to working with his team at Le Gavroche.”
The winning menu that impressed some of the top chefs in Britain included a crab and sweetcorn starter, a beef fillet and bulgur wheat with celeriac, girolles and radish main and a lemon, white chocolate and bramble dessert.
The competition, now in its 11th year, welcomed eight chef finalists from across the Highlands: Ross Marshall from the Drouthy Cobbler, Andrew Smith from Forss House Hotel, Eddie Brown from the Carnegie Club Skibo, Theodore Creton from Links House, Jamie Macleod from Boath House, Lee Raitt from Three Chimneys, Henry Osborn from Gleneagles Hotel and Darren Ross from Mingary Castle Hotel.
The judges, Glen Watson, Steven Doherty, Derek Johnstone, Brian Maule and Robert Bates, awarded the runner-up prize to Theodore Creton. He won £250, a Robot Coupe machine and a week of work experience at the RAC Club, while third-placed Andrew Smith took home £100 and a Robot Coupe micro mix.
Judge Glen Watson said: “It is always a great pleasure to come up to Dornoch and inspire the contestants. All eight gave us extremely well cooked and presented dishes. The competition overall continues to grow in stature and quality and the finalists should be very proud of themselves.”
College principal Donald MacBeath said: “This highly prestigious event has provided so many opportunities for our hospitality students from Dornoch and Thurso to work and learn together. They have networked, supported the contestants in the kitchen and provided a fine-dining experience of the highest quality to our guests.
“They should all be very proud of their contributions to the overall success of the event.”
The Young Highland Chef Competition in partnership with North Highland College UHI and the Roux Consultancy is sposnored by Glenmorangie House, Robot Coupe, Olleco, Swansons Food, Braehead Foods, Badgers Mount Weddings, ANTA, Highland Fine Cheese, Stephen Mackintosh Light and Sound, Thompson Bros, Nisbets, Cacao Barry, Gigha Halibut and Loch Dunvegan Shellfish.
