A recipe for oak-smoked salmon with crispy capers

French chef Didier Dejean owned a restaurant at Aberdeen harbour which was a beacon for seafood lovers.

When I ask Didier Dejean where his love of food comes from, he laughs. ‘Well, I’m French, so…’

The Aberdeen-based chef has been sharing his passion for food since he opened his seafood restaurant The Silver Darling in 1986.

Situated in the old customs house, it has views out over the harbour and a focus on modern, elegant seafood.

In his still-strong French accent, Didier elaborates: ‘Really, the love of food comes from my parents. They both used to cook a lot. They were not chefs, but the whole family – my parents, my aunt, my uncle – all really loved food and we used to enjoy it together, all around the table having a long, beautiful meal.’

Originally from Millau in southern France, Didier started to cook when he was 12, helping his mother. Her traditional approach still has an influence. ‘I think probably more now,’ he says, ‘because people like simple food, not too complicated. I think things are coming back to simple, fresh ingredients, and not too many ingredients.’

(This recipe was originally published in 2016. Didier has since sold the Silver Darling)

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