Andrew Fairlie Scholarship 2022

Meet the Finalists - Taraya Boyes

Taraya Boyes, Commis Chef, Brasserie Prince at Balmoral Hotel

Where are you originally from?

I was born in Glasgow and have lived in my family home in the leafy suburbs of East Dunbartonshire with my brother, sister, and father for the past 24 years growing up.  My father had life-changing throat cancer surgery in 2007 that meant as siblings we have had to share some care giving-responsibilities among us. As a result, throughout my employment I have commuted to and from work at The Balmoral in Edinburgh by rail or bus each day and night. Recent rail strikes have turned this into a bit of an adventure or a nightmare, but my motto is “mustn’t grumble”.

I have travelled quite a bit around Scotland and the UK but a major reason for my choice of career as a Chef was the appeal of overseas travel to immerse myself in new cultures and to sample and experiment with new cuisines.

What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?

I have been tempted to apply for the Scholarship since its inception in 2019 but always believed until now that I lacked the necessary work experience element. I particularly like the challenge posed in this year’s Skill Test. The freedom of recipe choice whilst somewhat daunting at first sight genuinely offers an excellent opportunity to enhance and grow my all-round culinary skills and knowledge. I am also greatly encouraged by the commitment within the ethos of the Scholarship to support Gender Equality in the Kitchen and Industry. I see this as vitally important if we are to inspire the next generation of Scottish talent. I would therefore love the opportunity to demonstrate that even in the current male-dominated profession women can use their knowledge and creativity to come up with dish designs that showcase their personality and wows both their Peers and Distinguished Judges. Despite a sometimes difficult first year and despite my relative inexperience I remain of the opinion that the time is right for me to embark upon this unique opportunity to forge ahead with my culinary career and gain some industry-wide recognition in the process. The ultimate prize to experience once-in-a-lifetime practical opportunities and placements to train in top restaurants, establish important industry contacts and networks and to learn from renowned Chefs simply cannot be ignored by Commis Chefs because such opportunities are rare in the current economic climate.

Can you give us a brief description of your career to date?

At College I noticed many of the other students were already in employment and recognised that this could place me at a bit of a disadvantage in the future. I therefore began volunteering at Gavin’s Mill Fairtrade Café & Shop a community social enterprise in Milngavie whenever I was free. As well as introducing me to Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-Free Diets I learnt so much more about subjects like Ethical Trading, Sustainability, Local Sourcing, Carbon Footprint and Zero Waste that are now so important in Hospitality as we respond to the Climate Emergency. Leaving College just prior to the onset of the Covid Pandemic to seek my first full-time position as a Chef I was still aware despite a short placement with Baxter Storey that whilst I had plenty qualifications I still lacked experience in a Professional Kitchen Environment. Unsurprisingly I initially found my job search demoralizing as submissions of my CV were quickly followed by knock-backs albeit polite and courteous. In hindsight I was perhaps a tad over ambitious restricting my applications to only a few renowned fine-dining establishments. Nevertheless I retained confidence and enough faith in my abilities to persevere and not give up on my dream. During windows in lockdown and furlough I kept my passion simmering by throwing myself into more volunteering, and self-financing WSET Wines & Spirits Qualifications and Chocolate & Pastry Masterclasses with Ruth Hinks in the hope that my prospects would improve once Hospitality re-opened. My efforts were rewarded during a crazy 7 days in August 2021 where I applied for the Commis Chef position at Balmoral Hotel and was appointed following interview by Executive Chef Gary Robinson to whom I am most grateful and hope in some way my shortlisting reflects his faith in my potential.

What does it mean to you to have been shortlisted for the finals of the scholarship?

A wide range of emotions and feelings was conjured up by the words of Head Judge Stephen McLaughlin; pride, panic, joy and fear to name but a few:- The calibre of Chefs who applied this year was strong. We have chosen 6 very deserving Chefs who all submitted immaculate recipes and well-thought-out paper answers to the questions set. They also show a real wealth of experience from within Scotland’s culinary industry. I cannot wait to taste their dishes on the day, and I am hugely energised to be spending finals day with them all.”
If I am honest then I am still struggling to take it all in as I remain quite shy and reserved talking about my creativity. However, to keep my emotions in check and banish any nerves, anxiety, and self-doubt I have focused all my attention on refining the production of my dish through plenty of practice. Such industry-wide recognition for one’s talents and potential is nevertheless important to assist in the recruitment, inspiration, and retention of younger people into the profession in these tough times. Shortlisting represents a massive confidence, morale and energy booster following a busy stressful year in Hospitality with frequent depleted staff numbers due to ongoing Covid outbreaks and the recruitment difficulties following Brexit. Shortlisting has made me feel that not only were my efforts worthwhile, but I also hope in some way that Chef Simon and all my colleagues feel ownership of this reward too as they have all been important parts of my journey, If I can now demonstrate the good values of personality, professionalism, passion and integrity that the legacy of Andrew Fairlie demands and show knowledge and creativity in dish design at the Skills Test, I hope that all my colleagues in the Rocco Forte Family can share pride in my achievement. I would love to show that even in these toughest of times honesty, integrity and sheer hard work can still achieve success. I have no idea just how huge an influence this Scholarship Final could have on my future career and life but I suspect it will be an exciting adventure I simply cannot afford to miss as it is a chance to gain something I will most likely treasure for the rest of my professional working life.

Have you always wanted to be a chef?  What made you choose this career?

The more I reflect on this question I conclude the answer is probably yes. One of my earliest childhood memories is helping my dad prepare a meal in the tiny kitchen of our Holiday Cottage in Durness in Sutherland. After my dad’s cancer surgery, I began to help him out in the kitchen at home in the year before I started secondary school. He would always jokingly tell me off for “grazing on the job” his terminology for my tendency to over-taste. In my defence I was simply pinching a spoonful of his exotic and delicious Indian, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, Moroccan and Thai dishes or bowls of comforting soup all made fresh from scratch to savour the flavours and to ask question after question about the herbs, spices, ingredients and cooking processes. At school I was not very academic but was much more comfortable with more hands-on, practical and vocational subjects like Hospitality and Cake Decoration where I excelled. I now have no doubt that it was little moments like these that first sparked to light the flame of my passion for cooking and my desire to become a Chef.

Cooking increases my creativity, ingenuity, and independence. When new recipes turn out delicious this motivates me to experiment further, and when people praise me for my food, I grow in confidence. As a Chef I see cooking as an art and as I want to demonstrate and share my talents with others, and I aspire to travel, try different cuisines, and ultimately one day open a restaurant.

What do you love about working as a chef?

There are many things I love about working as a Chef although the simplest and most obvious are often overlooked. I simply love cooking and it keeps me happy but I also really like experimenting with new recipes too. I love to serve and eat as well as to cook, which I suppose means I am totally suited to being a Chef. Yet why just settle for being a run-of-the-mill Chef when you believe you can also do something extraordinary in this field. I remember my Grampa’s advice just before he passed away: “Always do something you love the most as it truly helps you to love your profession. When someone loves their job, life seems more meaningful and interesting to them.” Being a Chef chimes with this mantra for me every single day no matter how dull or stressed that day might be!

What is your favourite Scottish ingredient to work with? And why?

It simply must be Scottish Strawberries for me which are renowned throughout the world for being some of the best. They are one of the very first ingredients I messed around with as a curious child, and thereafter for perfecting my knife skills at college, and then through more sophisticated techniques and subjects like fermentation and wine pairings to chocolate and pastry work. Scottish Strawberries that are plump, juicy, and bursting with flavour, are hard to rival. Our climate seems to lend itself to growing soft fruit. Scotland boasts a temperate climate with long days of sunlight allowing the fruit to ripen slowly, producing more sugar resulting in perfectly sweet berries. Since famers discovered polytunnels their seasonality has extended. Scottish Strawberries are now available from April right through until the beginning of November. Strawberries are best enjoyed straight out the punnet at room temperature, but you can also freeze them if you want to keep some for a later date. They are packed with vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants so are a fantastic low-calorie ingredient. Strawberries are one of the most versatile ingredients available to us, whether we eat them as they are, put them in desserts, muffins, a salad or even as a puree or compote to accompany a steak, there are so many ways we can eat them. They can be enjoyed all day long: at breakfast as part of a fruit salad or accompaniment to yoghurt; as an afternoon treat in a lovely cake or tart; as a pre-dinner refreshing cocktail or bobbing around in a chilled glass of rose; and then as part of a refreshing or indulgent dessert to complete any meal. Their flavour and texture are second to none and have helped create some of my favourite recipes. I love making sorbets and ice cream with strawberries and always keep a batch in the freezer to top delicious desserts and add to cocktails.