Chefs ready to turn up the heat

Eight of Scotland’s finest will show skills at ScotHot

• On fire: top chefs Stuart Ralston, Gary Maclean and Brian Grigor will be at ScotHot.

SOME of Scotland’s top chefs are ready to turn up the heat on this year’s ScotHot event later this month.

MasterChef: The Professionals winner and City of Glasgow College lecturer Gary Maclean, Brian Grigor (Michelin-starred chef at The Balmoral’s Number One Restaurant in Edinburgh), and Stuart Ralston (chef proprietor of Edinburgh restaurant Aizle) are among eight award-winning chefs who will take to ScotHot’s new Staff Canteen Live stage at the trade show, which takes place at Glasgow’s SECC on March 15 and 16.

They will be joined by Adam Handling, Scottish Chef of the Year 2016; Geoffrey Smeddle, award-winning chef of The Peat Inn, Fife; Graeme Cheevers, head chef at Martin Wishart Loch Lomond; chocolatier William Curley; and Ruth Hinks, UK World Chocolate Master.

The Staff Canteen Live stage will give visitors to the trade show the opportunity to watch these professional chefs at work as they demonstrate skills and techniques in everything from Michelin-starred cookery to French patisserie.
Mark Morris, managing director of The Staff Canteen, said the team is “really excited” to be part of ScotHot.
“Scotland’s fish, shellfish, game, lamb and beef is renowned around the world,” he said.
“The nation also has some of the best chefs in the UK so we want to showcase them, their skills and the fantastic produce on our live stage.

“Having both Gary and the students from City of Glasgow College on the stage is an added bonus to what promises to be an amazing two days.”

Toby Wand, managing director of Fresh Montgomery, which organises ScotHot, said: “The industry’s appetite for ScotHot just continues to grow year on year,” he said.
“Each show we like to bring something different for our visitors, so this year we’re thrilled to welcome the Staff Canteen Live stage. The line-up of chefs we have is second to none, and with experts in both sweet and savoury cookery, we are pleased to say there is something there for all palates.”