Flavour Profile Q&A: Craig Millar, chef patron of Craig Millar @ 16 West End Restaurant, St Monans

This chef loves a Pot Noodle, but not celery

Published 21st Feb 2022
Updated 6 th Oct 2023

What’s your favourite ingredient?

I’d usually say a good butter as I use it in so many dishes. However, this week I took delivery of some Blackthorn Sea Salt. It’s an absolutely phenomenal product and I’ll maybe mix it through my butter.

Do you have a guilty food pleasure?

I’m no stranger to a Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodle.

Tell us about your first food memory

As a child I was a very fussy eater especially when it came to fish and vegetables, so when a Russian fish pie made an appearance one night I was mortified. We used to have a large cheese plant next to the dinner table where I’d bury food I didn’t like when nobody was watching.

What’s your favourite Scottish restaurant, deli or cafe?

Fortunately, The Cellar in Anstruther and The Peat Inn are near me. Further afield, I’m not long back from a few days in Glasgow where I ate at Cail Bruich and Unalome, which are both fantastic restaurants, as well as the more informal Ka Pao. I also recently had a fantastic dinner at Gordon’s Restaurant in Inverkeilor. 

What would be your last supper?

Bizarrely, I’d go for a ham salad sandwich with a glass of chilled milk. Anything else would be a waste if I was about to pass on.

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Starter or pudding?

Pudding as it can often make or break a good meal.

Do you have any food hates?

I’m generally not a fan of any manufactured vegan products (ignore my guilty food pleasure) and I’d love to like raw celery but just can’t stand the taste.

What starters, main and dessert would be served at your dream dinner party and who would you invite?

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I’d invite my current restaurant team after all the crap we’ve been through over the last couple of years. We’d have twice baked Mull cheddar soufflé to start, then wagyu beef with triple cooked chips for the main and dessert would be anything made with chocolate.

What's your favourite geographical foodie destination?

France especially for their food markets as they’re much less sterile than we are forced to have over here. There are open air fish and cheese counters where you can smell the atmosphere.

www.16westend.com

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Gaby Soutar is a lifestyle editor at The Scotsman. She has been reviewing restaurants for The Scotsman Magazine since 2007 and edits the weekly food pages.
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