In a Nutshell, Chef Stuart Ralston: ‘My father ignited my passion for food as a youngster’

Stuart Ralston is regarded as one of the most talented and innovative chefs in the UK. He grew up in Glenrothes in a family of chefs, before moving to New York to work in Gordan Ramsay’s flagship two Michelin starred restaurant, The London Hotel.

He has four restaurants in Edinburgh, Aizle, Noto, Tipo and Lyla, and talks to us about his food influences, the most he’s paid for a meal and listening to hip hop in the kitchen.

What’s the closest thing you have to a signature dish:

My Loch Melfort trout chawanmushi, confit potato, nori, and smoked potato sauce. 

Describe your style of cuisine in ten words:

Natural, organic, clean, detailed, technical, seasonal, ingredient-led, creative, innovative.

Most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten:

One of the most memorable would be Restaurant Frantzen for my 40th birthday, was absolute class start to finish.

Worst/weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten: 

Raw geoduck….look it up.

Worst thing you’ve ever cooked:

I remember once doing a yeast ice cream with apples , I thought it was so ‘avant garde’ but in reality wasn’t very tasty, 

What’s the dish that you’re most proud of having cooked: 

Hard one to single out but there’s a beef with cherry mustard dish that is in my book that I still love for its simplicity and taste, so perhaps that, or the crab butter at Noto as it’s a staple. 

Favourite ingredient:

Any Scottish shellfish , or miso.

Your go-to recipe book: 

I love the Frantzen cookbook, and the original Eleven Madison Park cookbook. 

What other country’s cuisine really excites and intrigues you?

 Japan, hands down the most interesting , historically interesting cuisine and attitude to food.

Most you’ve ever paid for a meal:

Personally paid, about £1,500 I reckon (Frantzen), but was lucky to be taken out to a few nice meals over the years. One clocked in about $6,000.

Your favourite Scottish chef: Currently cooking, I would say Tristin Farmer, what he was doing at Zen – three Michelin stars – very Asian style 

Favourite chef outside Scotland:

Probably Jeremy Chan at Ikoyi.

Who taught you to cook or ignited your passion for food as a youngster:

My father started it for sure, but the chefs I have worked with along the way have all played a huge part in keeping me at it.

Most important lesson a young chef can learn:

Work clean and organised.

Culinary mentor – the most important person in your development as a professional chef: 

One of my first chefs Ian Mcnaught, was a huge mentor in not just cooking but life advice 

Best thing about the industry: 

The opportunity to travel and work 

Worst thing about the industry: 

VAT, and no shows.

What’s the biggest sin a chef can commit: 

Serving bad staff tea.

What do you eat when you’re at home:

I love a pizza in my Ooni oven in my garden.

Celebrity guest or your perfect dinner party – who would you most like to cook for:

I’d love to cook for any Arsenal players (hit me up team!), Kendrick Lamar and Gordon Ramsay. 

Tell me a something about you that virtually no-one knows: 

I like classical music and orchestras.

What’s your favourite wine? 

Olivier Leflaive Puligny Montrachet. 

Your spirit of choice? 

Doorly’s dark rum.

Do you play music in the kitchen and, if so, what’s your go-to track or artist:

I play a lot of hip hop, a lot of things like Mark Ronson , Idles, Kendrick Lamar , Nirvana, Asap Rocky, Donny Hathaway – a real mix.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be:

Ideally a rally car drive.

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