You’ll love this recipe for Scottish lobster

Head chef David Butters has revealed exciting plans for Aberdeenshire’s only three-rosette restaurant. Douneside House, which was refurbished in 2016, has big plans for the future. David said: ‘We have a table d’ hôte menu which we serve seven days a week and a six-course tasting menu which is served Thursday to Saturday evenings. ‘Our…

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Another succulent Scots recipe in the limelight

Andrew Cook is the head chef at The Lime Tree in Fort William, and revealed he likes to keep it local when sourcing his ingredients. When starting out, Andrew’s experience came from big, bustling hotel kitchens, before the 38-year-old chef’s career took a new direction. ’I didn’t really start in restaurants until about 10 years…

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Try this easy to make Highland cannelloni

‘You could probably say I fell into this line of work,’ laughs Andrew Cook, head chef at Fort William’s award-winning The Lime Tree restaurant. ‘My parents were hotel managers with British Trust Hotels, so I’ve grown up in hotels. My dad is a trained chef as well, so he was my first head chef. ‘My…

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Rhubarb with strawberry panna cotta is a hit

Willie Little prides himself on the ethos of his restaurant. As a fishmonger and chef, his Blairgowrie based Little’s Restaurant specialises in fish. Willie said: ‘‘We buy all the fish from markets and off the boats. We don’t buy filleted fish, apart from the odd piece of haddock. ‘When I’m filleting that fish in the morning,…

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Crab and salmon combine for a delicious meal

Little’s Restaurant in Blairgowrie is a little slice of heaven for its owner, Willie Little. Fishmonger and chef Willie moved into fish wholesaling, owning the company Ocean Traders, which led to him setting up his award-winning fishmonger, Fish in Crieff. Selling the wholesale company, Willie was left with the fishmongers, but for a man whose working…

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A quick and easy butter tart recipe

The Silver Darling in Aberdeen built up a tremendous reputation under French chef Didier Dejean. His restaurant in Aberdeen harbour was the result of him working at a restaurant in Paris, before joining a colleague in Aberdeen in 1978, aged 19. After completing his national service in the French Navy, Didier came back to Aberdeen…

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We have a delicious recipe for peppered tuna

Cooking with seafood was in the blood for chef Didier Dejean when he owned the Silver Darling in Aberdeen. Originally from Millau in southern France, Didier started to cook when he was 12, helping his mother. Her traditional approach had an influence. Didier said: ‘I think probably more now, because people like simple food, not…

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The quay to happiness is through seafood

French chef Didier Dejean’s restaurant 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…

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A delicious lamb recipe to make your mouth water

Working under internationally acclaimed chefs has helped Jon-Paul Saint’s career. His menu at Dornoch’s Links House uses fresh, local ingredients. After qualifying, he moved on to the Rocpool Reserve Hotel in Inverness, working under Albert Roux and other Michelin-starred chefs; he then worked in a variety of Roux’s other restaurants as a sous-chef. First up was Greywalls in Gullane, before spending a…

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Chef tees up a delicious beetroot dish

Jon-Paul Saint puts his own spin on the menu at Dornoch’s Links House using fresh, local ingredients to wow the crowds. For someone who began cooking by chance, Jon-Paul Saint, head chef at Links House in Dornoch, has come a long way. Set on becoming the next Indiana Jones as a youngster, Saint soon deviated from his childhood dream of…

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