Andrew Fairlie Scholarship

Judges Q&A 2020

The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship judges have a wealth of knowledge and expertise amongst them, so we put some questions to them! Find out what they think helped them become successful, and what advice they’d give to aspiring chefs.

The Judges

Stephen McLaughlin (Restaurant Andrew Fairlie), Sat Bains (Restaurant Sat Bains), Tom Kerridge (Hand and Flowers), Lorna McNee (Cail Bruich), Gary Maclean (Masterchef: The Professionals Champion), Keith Podmore (Andrew Fairlie’s former mentor)

What do you think helped you to become a successful chef?

Tom:  My love of the industry and everything about it. It’s exciting, vibrant and filled with so many opportunities. It’s full of passionate people whether chefs or front of house, hoteliers, producers, suppliers – one thing they all have in common is a passion for life and that as a chef, I find truly exciting.

Gary:  I think the main reason I have had such good career is that I am always learning and more importantly always looking to learn. I also have a great work ethic, you get back what you put in.

Keith:  I always had a desire to do things to the best of my ability and was never afraid to learn from anybody.  Once I had seen or learnt a better way, I always felt obliged to put it into practice so evolving and improving my skill set. 

Sat:  Once I realised that cheffing was a job I wanted to do and started to take it seriously, I had a desire to want to do something good and be the best chef that I could be.  I hadn’t worked for anyone who had really mentored me, and I didn’t want to be “just another chef”, so I thought the Roux Scholarship would give me a boost up.  I applied at the age of 27, the cut off age was 28, so this was my last chance to give it a go.  Winning it gave me the chance to work at a 3 Michelin star restaurant, and get my name out there, and I realised that the world is your oyster, and I needed to go search for the next chapter in my career. 

Lorna:  I think what helped me become a successful chef was the encouragement from those around me. I had a great mentor and someone who really focused on teaching and developing young chefs to make you a better person and chef. I also think you have to have a great deal of determination and belief in yourself that you can do this. Set yourself daily, weekly and monthly goals and try your best to achieve these and stay strong when you don’t. 

Stephen: Getting a good grasp of the basics early doors, and really studying to understand them.  I had great lecturers at college, and was fortunate to then have a brilliant mentor in Andrew Fairlie.

Give us one piece of advice for aspiring chefs.

Tom:  Ask questions, push yourself harder, never give up and cherish every minute. Remember that everyday is part of a learning curve. Even when things go wrong, don’t worry, learn from your mistakes. They are all part and parcel of building you to be the complete cook.

Gary:  My main advice to all aspiring chefs is to get qualified, build solid foundations by training in the best places. Do not chase money, secure your long term prospects by learning more, build solid friendships and work with nice people who respect you and your development.

Keith:  Learn your craft from the best people you can.

Sat:  Come rain or shine, never give up.  You are going to hit barriers and ceilings along the way, but have a vision, a 5 and 10 year plan to check that you’re still on track, and if you’re not on track, do something about it!  I’m now 50, and I’ve realised that time goes by quickly.  I still have a 5 and 10 year vision, it’s great advice, and will hold you steady through your career and life.

Lorna:  Don’t let anyone put you down or tell you that you can’t do this.  You can.  It just takes a great mindset and determination.  Always learn from your mistakes.  Learning from these mistakes helps give you a better understanding of the product and you’ll become a better chef for it.

Stephen: Read more books and seek advice on what books you should be reading.  Don’t just flick from picture to picture on the internet.

The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is an incredible opportunity for aspiring chefs – you can find more details and apply for the scholarship here.