Andrew Fairlie Scholarship
Winners 2019

Congratulations to the first Andrew Fairlie Scholarship Winners!

The two chefs who impressed the judges the most were Emma-Rose Milligan, 24 (the day after the Final!), from Kilmarnock, who is working as Demi Chef de Partie at Chez Roux at Inverlochy Castle in Fort William, and Joseph Harte, 23, a Junior Sous Chef at Douneside House in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

The finalists had to prove their worth in a two-part skills test, where they first had to recreate a classic Andrew Fairlie dish before preparing a dish that showcased their individuality and creativity as a chef. This took place on October 24th at Gleneagles.

Spearheaded by HIT Scotland and supported by the First Minister, Scottish Government and Gleneagles, the scholarship was launched in February 2019 in recognition of Andrew Fairlie’s significant and lasting contribution to the hospitality industry.

All with a personal link to chef Andrew Fairlie, our chef judges were delighted to give their time and expertise to judge this competition. They were Stephen McLaughlin and Lorna McNee, Head Chef and Sous Chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Gary Maclean, Scotland’s National Chef, 2 Michelin-starred chefs Tom Kerridge and Sat Bains, and Andrew’s former mentor Keith Podmore.

Andrew Fairlie Final - winners in restaurant.jpg

Stephen McLaughlin, who was lead judge, said: "We were thoroughly impressed by the standard shown by the finalists, they all showcased passion and talent that Andrew would be proud of. Emma-Rose and Joseph excelled in the skills tests and they have conducted themselves in a manner that truly represents the man himself. We are pleased to have them to help continue Andrew’s legacy and we are hugely excited to see how their careers blossom from here.”

David Cochrane, HIT Scotland Chief Executive, added: “It was fantastic to see such a talented group of young chefs in action at the finals, and the creativity and dedication on display by these young chefs was truly inspiring. Congratulations to Emma-Rose and Joseph, who will now get to experience some fantastic opportunities and represent Andrew’s legacy wherever they go.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I offer my warmest congratulations to Joseph and Emma-Rose for securing these prestigious scholarships. The fact that so many young chefs competed for these opportunities is testament to the large pool of talent in Scotland and shows a desire to follow in the footsteps of Andrew Fairlie, who did so much to bring on the next generation of world-class chefs in Scotland.”

Conor O’Leary, Joint Managing Director of Gleneagles, said: “This was a competition of enormous importance. It ensures the culture of excellence that Andrew established is promoted and nurtured in the next generation of chefs, and it cements Scotland’s reputation as a hotbed of outstanding culinary talent. We’re thrilled for the winning recipients and look forward to following and supporting them as they progress in their careers.”

The winners will gain industry-wide recognition as Andrew Fairlie Scholars and experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as an international stage and one at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, and the chance to cook at Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister.

Finalists Ryan McCutcheon, Joseph Harte, Abbie Clunie, Emma-Rose Milligan, Jake Hassall, Peter Meechan

The Final

All 6 finalists did themselves proud at the Final skills test, both personally and professionally. They didn’t know what they would be cooking until the day, and much to their surprise, it wasn’t Andrew Fairlie’s signature smoked lobster dish! They had two dishes to produce, a starter and a main, both within 2 hours.

For the starter they were given a title of “Warm Mushroom Tart, Caramelised Veal Sweetbread, Madeira Sauce” and only a handful of bullet points telling them what to do. This tested their skills and their creativity, allowing them to show a bit of individuality. The main was a mountain hare dish, that Restaurant Andrew Fairlie sous chef Lorna McNee demonstrated and which they then had to replicate exactly.

Both these dishes were things Andrew loved to cook, and to eat, and the judges all agreed that it was a great day of tasting!

The judges felt that the best two overall chefs were Emma-Rose and Joseph.

Performing in front of such culinary experts must have been daunting for our Finalists, but they all conducted themselves in a great manner, and it was good to see the judges providing feedback to them afterwards.

Tom Kerridge said: “It was a massive honour to be a part of this, long may this scholarship continue to celebrate fantastic chef talent in the correct manner. The mix of skills they had to show today, the demo then the creativity, was all about Andrew’s ethos of nurturing and teaching and a celebration of great produce. All the Finalists will have left today with something new they can use in the kitchen.”

Sat Bains added: “It was a privilege to be part of this and see some great Scottish talent. I’m sure the winners will enjoy their year as Andrew Fairlie scholars and will have some fantastic experiences.”

Scotland’s National Chef Gary Maclean, no stranger to cooking competitions, said: “So proud to be here for this first Andrew Fairlie scholarship here at Gleneagles, and it’s special having Andrew’s team, Stephen and Lorna, lead the way in this.”

Andrew’s mentor Keith Podmore had mixed emotions on the day, sad, but proud that Andrew’s legacy was continuing. He said: “I am so pleased that a big door now opens for the two successful chefs as Andrew Fairlie scholars. I think Andrew would be quietly delighted about it all.”

Thanks

Lots of different elements are involved in hosting a cooking competition in a luxury hotel, and thanks need to go to a few HIT Scotland supporters who helped with some very important items!

Instock who organised the building, installation and stocking of the cooking stations, there would have been nowhere to cook without them.

Braehead Foods for providing many of the food ingredients for the day including the mountain hare, fantastic produce for the chefs to work with.

Yourtex provided a bespoke chef’s jacket for each of the Finalists, so they all looked the part and can be remembered as an Andrew Fairlie finalist forever.

This scholarship was a collaboration between HIT Scotland, The Gleneagles Hotel, and the Scottish Government, and the continuing support from Gleneagles and the First Minister will allow this fantastic new scholarship to continue for many years to come.

Final thanks to Stephen McLaughlin and his team at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, for continuing the legacy of this great chef and helping us create this wonderful opportunity.