Andrew Fairlie Scholarship 2024
Meet the Finalists - Michael Sutherland
Senior Chef de Partie, Gleneagles
Where are you from originally, where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I grew up on a small island on the west coast called Cumbrae in a town called Millport. I now live in Blackford with my girlfriend Finola and our daughter Isla.
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
I've been looking to take part in a competition for a while now but and hadn't found one that felt right. When the brief for this year's scholarship was released both my executive sous Richard Dalgleish and my head chef Callum Roberts said that I should definitely apply.
Have you always wanted to be a chef, what made you choose this career?
I originally trained as a marine engineer and didn't start working as a chef until I was in my early 20s. I grew up in and around hospitality, with my dad being a chef and my mum opening a restaurant when I was a teenager, so I think it was always something I was bound to do.
What do you love about working as a chef?
What I love about kitchens and working as a chef is the buzz and energy. That 30 minutes before a busy service when everyone is focused, checking mise en place and setting up sections is almost addictive. I love the teaching side of the kitchen as well, both from learning from other people and also getting to pass that knowledge forward onto the chefs just coming into the kitchen and starting out their careers.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why?
Potatoes would probably be one of my favourite ingredients. From one ingredient there are countless dishes and ways to prepare it, nothing really beats a perfect roast potato. Fish would be one of my other favourites to cook with. I like the focus you need to cook with it since no two pieces cook quite the same.
What are your hopes for your future career as a chef?
For my future career I want to continue to develop my skills and techniques and learn as much as I can. Passing this knowledge onto the next generation of chefs is something that is also very important to me.