Andrew Fairlie Scholarship
Winners 2021

Congratulations to the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship Winners!

The two talented chefs who most impressed the panel of expert industry judges were Amy Stephenson, aged 22, Junior Sous Chef at The Torridon, and Josh Wilkinson, aged 25, Senior Chef de Partie, Isle of Eriska Hotel.

The finalists had to prove their worth in a skills test, where they had to recreate a classic Andrew Fairlie dish, and showcase their knowledge, individuality and creativity as a chef by choosing and producing two additional elements to complement this. This took place on November 16th at Perth College UHI, with the winners announcement taking place 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.

The judges included Michelin star chefs Stephen McLaughlin, Tom Kerridge, Sat Bains and Lorna McNee, and Scotland’s National Chef Gary Maclean.

Stephen McLaughlin, lead judge and head chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, said: “What a thrill it has been for us all to get back together for finals day of our second Andrew Fairlie Scholarship. It has been especially exciting this year to have been able do it in in our brand-new host venue, Perth College UHI, for the cook off.

“Full credit goes to all our finalists, who have maintained their match fitness in the run up to the final. We asked the finalists to cook a classic dish from Chef Andrew’s repertoire, while showcasing their own technical abilities in creating inspiring garnishes along with an intelligent, well thought out sauce.

“Every one of the finalists showed great desire and passion to become one of the next Andrew Fairlie Scholars, and many congratulations to Amy and Josh who came out on top and will now receive some inspirational and educational experiences to help build their careers.”

David Cochrane, HIT Scotland Chief Executive, added: “After the challenges of the last couple of years, it was truly inspiring to see this group of talented chefs in action, showing off their creativity, hard work and dedication to their craft. Huge congratulations to Amy and Josh, who will now get to experience some fantastic opportunities as Andrew Fairlie Scholars!”

Conor O’Leary, Managing Director of Gleneagles, said: “The flair, creativity and passion displayed by all the finalists echoes the culture of excellence that Andrew established and is testament to the extraordinary pool of culinary talent we have here in Scotland. We're thrilled for the winning recipients and look forward to following their careers and supporting them as they develop as chefs."

Ype van der Schaaf, Sector Manager of Hospitality and Food Studies at Perth College UHI said: “Hosting the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship final within our kitchens and facilities was a great opportunity to support HIT Scotland, and our students welcomed the chance to be involved. Many congratulations to the well-deserved winners, we enjoyed watching all of them work and create their fantastic dishes.”

The winners will gain industry-wide recognition as Andrew Fairlie Scholars and experience educational and inspirational opportunities, such as a practical stage in an international kitchen and at two Michelin star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles and three Michelin star restaurant Core by Clare Smyth.

Finalists Peter Meechan, Josh Wilkinson, Spud Henderson, Amy Stephenson, Ryan McCutcheon

The Final

The 5 finalists didn’t know exactly what they would be cooking on the day, just that there would be a masterclass of a classic dish by Restaurant Andrew Fairlie Sous Chef Russell Plowman, that they would have to replicate, along with using their own knowledge and creativity to add something to complement that dish.

The masterclass was Aromatic Duck, poached and roasted duck with honey and spices, a recipe that chef Andrew had shared with the Caterer back in 2013. Robert and AJ Morris from St Brides Poultry were delighted to be involved, providing the duck for the day.

Robert said: “It’s been an honour to be involved in this scholarship. We provided the pigeon for the very first menu at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, and developed a wonderful friendship with Andrew over the years, travelling to France with him for culinary research. He always made us feel part of the team, and the restaurant continues with that to this day.”

The finalists watched as chef Russell talked them through the dish, the detail needed in the preparation and cookery, and seasoning to taste. The duck would be served in two ways - the honey glazed breast, with a crispy duck leg salad. They were given the ingredients for the dressings, but had to work out the quantities to mix themselves.

The chefs were then given time to look at the seasonal larder, and decide what they wanted to use to make two garnishes and a sauce to accompany the duck dish. The judges wanted to see an intelligent well thought out sauce, with garnishes that gave a well rounded dish. The finalists had 2 hours to cook, providing 2 finished plates of food, that looked and tasted great! Thanks go to the students from Perth College who acted in a commis chef role to help the finalists, and were a real credit to the college.

It can’t have been easy cooking with some of the country’s finest chefs watching, but the finalists all did themselves proud meaning the hardest job of the day was arguably that of the judging panel. After much deliberation, looking at technique and skill, flavour, and artistry, the judges decided that the 2 chefs who would be named Andrew Fairlie Scholars were Amy and Josh.

Thanks

Many parties come together to make this scholarship happen. Thanks to The Gleneagles Hotel and the Scottish Government for their continued support, and thanks to Perth College, our new host venue for the skills test. The staff and students were very helpful which made the day run smoothly.

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.

Instock for providing some of the equipment, and Scottish Chefs for their support.

Thanks to the judges for giving us their time and expertise, and for the passionate discussion to choose the winners.

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