Winners of Grampian Chef and Restaurant of the Year 2011

The Dining Room at Meldrum House Hotel has won Grampian Restaurant of the Year with Alexandria Hay of Raemoir House Hotel winning Chef of the Year.

The final of this year’s chefs competition took place on the 23rd May at Aberdeen College. Thirty-two of Aberdeen’s top chefs took part in a cook-off to identify the winners from the four competition categories - Grampian Chef of the Year, Grampian Young Chef of the Year, Grampian Contract Chef of the Year, and Grampian Seafood Chef of the Year.

The panel of judges comprised:

• Kevin MacGillivray, President of the Federation of Chefs Scotland
• Joe Queen, Vice-President of the Federation of Chefs Scotland
• Stephen McLaughlin, Head Chef, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles
• George McIvor, The Full Range Ltd
• Ian MacDonald, Executive Chef, St Andrews Links
• David Mutter, Darroch Learg Hotel, Ballater

The judging of Grampian Restaurant of the Year also took place earlier this month. From an entry of 11 restaurants, five finalists were selected to be judged by an expert during an unannounced visit to each finalist’s restaurant.

Karen Black, general manager of event organiser, Hospitality Training, said: "It was a difficult task to keep the identity of the judge under wraps. However, Bruce Sangster did a marvellous job and not one of the restaurants visited suspected he was there."

Bruce is the proprietor of Sangster’s in Elie, Fife which was awarded one Michelin Star in 2009. Bruce is one of the UK’s most respected chefs, winning British Chef of the Year in 2000.

He said: "Running a successful restaurant is no easy task; it takes commitment and dogged determination. But for every customer coming for lunch or dinner the expectation of the winner of Grampian Restaurant of the Year will be the same - great food, value for money and a welcoming, friendly service at all times."

The competition is organised by Hospitality Training, Scotland’s only industry-specific group training association. Karen Black said: "The competition provides our sector with an opportunity to showcase the talent of chefs in Grampian.

"The competitors have been preparing for months for cook-off and we were most impressed with the standard of dishes using locally sourced ingredients that were presented."

The winner of the Grampian Chef of the Year category was Alexandria Hay of Raemoir House Hotel. Her winning menu was:

• Scottish langoustines, squash, pear, spiced sambal
• Veal fillet and liver, celeriac puree, wild garlic and pommes Elizabeth
• Chocolate mousse and brownie, honeycomb, yoghurt and passion fruit

The winning menu in the Contract category was presented by Bruce Lawrence, Compass Group:

• Pan-roasted hake with a herb crust, spring vegetable broth and crab tortellini
• Rabbit roulade with fois gras, devilled kidney, pomme fondant, carrot mash, nettle and wild garlic royale with Madeira sauce
• Rhubarb brulée crumble tart and lemon curd ice cream

Orry Shand of Eat on the Green won the Young Chef category. His menu comprised:

• Salmon mousse ravioli
• Roast lamb loin and sweetbread
• Dark chocolate ganache and crème fraiche mousse

Grampian Seafood Chef was won by Sam Ritchie of The Cock and Bull. His gold medal-winning dish was:

Pan-seared halibut, confit Jersey Royals, pea, asparagus ribbons and pancetta lardons, broad beans and tartare sauce

Joe Queen, chairman of the panel, said: "Please keep up the hard work, effort, and passion to help deliver the quality customers expect."

The competition aims to forge strong links between chefs and local suppliers and producers. A key partner in the success of the competition is the Grampian Food Forum.

Among the prizes for the winners of Grampian Chef and Young chef is the opportunity to participate in the Taste of Grampian event on 5th June. The finals will be followed by an awards dinner at the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa.

Full Results

Grampian Chef of the Year 2011

1st Alexandria Hay, Raemoir House Hotel, Banchory

2nd Kevin Shand, The Stage Door Restaurant, Aberdeen

3rd Peter Conlin, Meldrum House Hotel, Oldmeldrum

Runners-Up: Stacy Sullivan, Jaffs, Dunecht; Ian Simpson, The Glenkindie Arms, Alford; Addy Daggert, Glenfiddich Distillery Visitor Centre, Dufftown; Paul Mair, The Courtyard Restaurant, Aberdeen; and Michael Middleton, The Cock and Bull, Balmedie

Grampian Contract Chef of the Year 2011

1st Bruce Lawrence, Compass Group

2nd Yoram Odentz, Sodexo Remote Sites Scotland Ltd

3rd Lauren Anderson, Eurest Services

Runners-Up:Paraic Faherty, Entier; David Morrison, Sodexo Remote Sites Scotland Ltd; Mark Weir, Sodexo Remote Sites Scotland Ltd; Calaum Brennan, Aberdeenshire Council; and Brian Mutch, BaxterStorey

Grampian Young Chef of the Year 2011

1st Orry Shand, Eat on the Green, Udny Green

2nd Kirsty Bruce, The Tufted Duck Hotel, St Combs

3rd Gregg Williamson, La Stella, Aberdeen

Runners-Up:Andrew Clark, The Cock and Bull, Balmedie; Alex Henderson, The Tor-Na-Coille Hotel, Banchory; Jarret Jollivet, Restaurant Paula McEwen, Aberdeen; Calum Finlay, The Park Inn, Aberdeen; and Yousef Shengheer, The Tor-Na-Coille Hotel, Banchory

Grampian Seafood Chef of the Year 2011

Winner: Sam Ritchie, The Cock and Bull, Balmedie

2nd: Ross Cochrane, The Douglas Arms, Banchory

Runners-U0: Lewis Hewitt, La Stella, Aberdeen; James McMahon, Malmaison, Aberdeen; Joao de Oliveira, Malmaison, Aberdeen; Bob Miller, The Milton Restaurant, Crathes by Banchory; and Nathan Hague, Douglas Arms, Banchory

Grampian Restaurant of the Year 2011

Winner: The Dining Room, Meldrum House Hotel, Oldmeldrum

Runner-Up: Restaurant Paula McEwen, Aberdeen

Main Sponsors

• Federation of Chefs Scotland
• G McWilliam Aberdeen Ltd
• Wild Tastes
• Olive Garden/Entier
• Granite PR
• Keenan Recycling
• Sodexo
• The Full Range Ltd

The competition was supported by: The Cock and Bull; Forsyth Produce Direct; Turriffs of Montrose; Aberdeen College; Search; Marcliffe Hotel and Spa; Mercure Ardoe House Hotel; Steelite; and Forsyth Produce Direct.

Find out more about Grampian Food Forum.

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