Mark Wahlberg’s seal of approval for Scots food

American actor Mark Wahlberg given his restaurant’s menu a special Scotch twist for Scotland Food and Drink Fortnight.

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has teamed up with US celebrity restaurant Wahlburgers and Simon Howie – The Scottish Butcher to put a Scottish twist on some American classics in celebration of Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight.

Over the two weeks running from 31 August to the 15 of September, the newly opened Wahlburgers in Covent Garden, London will be serving up a taste of Scotland with its limited edition Bonnie Burger and Tattie Tots.

The Bonnie Burger uses an 8oz Scotch Beef PGI and haggis patty topped with Isle of Mull Cheddar, the UK’s best-selling Simon Howie haggis, Scottish bacon, house-made Johnnie Walker whisky sauce, lettuce and red onion.

To accompany the latest edition to the menu, Wahlburgers has given the American classic side ‘Tater-Tots’ a Scottish makeover, serving Tattie Tots topped with house-made Johnnie Walker whisky sauce and crumbled Lanarkshire blue cheese.

The Bonnie Burger will be available at Wahlburgers

Claire Higgs, communications and PR manager with QMS, said: ‘Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight is a fantastic opportunity to share some of the culinary delights we have up here in Scotland with the rest of the UK. Scottish farmers work hard to produce Scotch Beef PGI – a trusted ingredient with a hallmark stamp of traceability, quality and great taste. We are thrilled to be working with Wahlburgers to provide a Scottish twist on one of their much-loved burgers.’

Chef Paul Wahlberg, executive chef and co-owner, Wahlburgers, said: ‘The transition to the UK has meant a lot of time and research into UK producers and many months of tasting to replicate the Wahlberg flavours we have in the States and Canada. We are proud to use UK suppliers and delighted with the quality of the Scotch Beef that outstanding Scottish butcher, Simon Howie, uses to create our proprietary blend of chuck, short rib and brisket for our burgers.’

Now in its tenth year, Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight seeks to showcase the companies, brands and people that champion the nations natural larder, helping them to take advantage of the growing consumer demand for Scottish food and drink.

Over the two weeks, organisers of the Fortnight will amplify the great work happening now in Scotland’s food and drink industry, highlighting some of the current innovations happening in the sector and showcasing the work that goes on behind the scenes to produce quality ingredients.

Simon Howie, chairman, Simon Howie Butchers said: ‘We are passionate about producing quality products and so with quality and taste top of the agenda for creating the UK version of the popular Wahlburger, we’ve enjoyed this venture from the get-go.

Wahlburgers in London

‘From working with the Paul and the team to create the perfect blend of chuck, short rib and brisket to watching their first UK restaurant open in Covent Garden and hearing the amazing feedback, we are delighted to play our part in giving Scotch Beef PGI the global platform it deserves.’

The Bonnie Burger and Tattie-Tots will be available from Wahlburgers restaurant in Covent Garden from Saturday 31 August to Sunday 15 September. The Bonnie Burger is priced at £14.50 and Tattie-Tots cost £4.

For more information on Scotch Beef PGI including recipes, videos and tips, visit www.scotchkitchen.com or follow Scotch Kitchen on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

• Click HERE for more food and drink news from Scottish Field