‘I’ve been Meldrum House’s Executive Chef for three years. It really doesn’t feel that long because this is an exciting time for us. Over the years, the team has won a string of awards and now we’re moving on to our next chapter as part of Apex Hotels. I feel lucky to head up the drive and onto the estate every day for work but also, and more importantly, the staff throughout the hotel and estate are brilliant. We have fantastic suppliers who we visit on our ‘chef trips’. We attend site visits as a team to get a deeper understanding of the produce we prepare each day and that’s always fun.
‘I didn’t set out to be a chef. I wanted to join the Army, but my asthma meant that wasn’t possible, so I enrolled in college with friends doing a one year hospitality course. Over fifteen years later and I wouldn’t change a thing! I’ve been head chef in some of Aberdeenshire’s best regarded hotel kitchens and honed my craft working as a Sous Chef for the renowned Shirley Spear at the Three Chimneys on Skye. In a few weeks, my younger brother will be following in my footsteps and joining us here at Meldrum House, so cooking seems to be a family skill.
‘I live with my partner Hannah and our two pups, Chase and Nala. I love going for long walks with Hannah, my two children Finley and Taylor and the dogs. As Hannah will confirm, I’m not in charge of cooking at home. Hannah’s the boss there.
‘At Meldrum House, our menu is traditional Scottish dishes with French flair. Our seafood is so fresh, it’s landed and delivered straight from Peterhead. My favourite dish on the menu is my Senior Sous Chef’s starter of sea trout cured in red cabbage, served with a cucumber tea. It’s very refreshing and is definitely a winner on our à la carte menu.
‘Working at Meldrum House is amazing and always very exciting. We’ve had Tony Singh, the incredible celebrity chef, join us for the last three years. The team love working with him and learning new dishes. The team manages everything from the Cave Bar, luxury dining domes, Pineapple Grill & Seafood Restaurant, private events and weddings. We want guests to feel their expectations have been exceeded and to be looked after as if they are the only ones dining with us.
‘At this time of year, we’re putting a lot of thought into creating really special festive menus. We have the traditional take on the menus but also add in dishes that are innovative and we think our guests will enjoy at that time of year. Christmas is such a special time at Meldrum and so it’s the perfect place to bring family, friends or colleagues, dine in a great setting and have some fun.’
