What’s your favourite ingredient?
It’s scallops, specifically hand-dived Orkney scallops. They are so much larger and flavourful than any other scallop I’ve worked with or eaten. I always make sure that we have them on the menu at iasg.
Do you have a guilty food pleasure?
It’s got to be fish and chips. Whether it’s a greasy fish supper on the way home from a night out, or beer-battered monkfish and hand cut chips served in a fancy restaurant. Few other meals are as suitable for all occasions.
Tell us about your first food memory?
Helping my granny cook the weekly Sunday roast. She was certainly no Gordon Ramsay but she taught me to have fun with cooking and enjoy making memories for people through food.
What’s your favourite Scottish restaurant, deli or cafe?
It’d be The Cellar in Anstruther. I took my wife there for her 30th birthday a few years ago and it was a culinary experience that will be very hard to top.
What would be your last supper?
This is a tough one to answer because I always like to try new things, so for my last supper I’d probably go for something I’ve never had before so I can go out with a bang! Despite this, I would find it difficult to turn down a scallop starter and a duck main course.
Starter or pudding?
Starter always wins for me.
Do you have any food hates?
I always stay away from rose. I find the perfume-like flavour too overpowering.
What starters, main and dessert would be served at your dream dinner party and who would you invite?
We’d have Cumbrae oysters and Champagne on arrival – always! I’m a big fan of a tasting style of meal where everyone can dive in and try a bit of everything, so to start I would serve a platter of barbecued langoustines, as well as scallop ceviche, a helping of gin-cured salmon and plenty more. The main course would be deliciously pink duck breast served with a side of salt-baked celeriac and a rich duck jus. For dessert, I’d go for something chocolatey. I’d also invite chef Billy Boyter, so I could repay him for the meal he cooked me and my wife at The Cellar.
What's your favourite geographical foodie destination?
Can I choose somewhere I’ve never been before? Asian cuisine is a favourite of mine, so I would love to pay a visit to Tokyo. The skill that goes into Japanese cookery is amazing and it’d be great to visit with my family one day when my new-born daughter is old enough to endure the flight. Also, without a doubt, Scotland has to be the seafood destination of the world. You won’t find fresher and more flavoursome fish than from the north east coast of Scotland.
iasg at the Kimpton Blythswood Square has just released their new menus, find out more at www.iasgrestaurant.com
