Dundee Flower and Food Festival

Jason Henderson at Knock Castle Hotel & Spa, Crieff

Jason Henderson is the general manager and chef patron of Knock Castle Hotel & Spa in Crieff. He is an enigmatic character with 15 years experience in the catering industry. He began his career in HM Forces, and has since worked in Europe and the UK. Jason’s style of cookery is Scottish contemporary with heavy influence on using only the finest Scottish produce and organic where possible.
Web: www.knockcastle.com

Ian McNaught at Roman Camp Country House Hotel and Restaurant, Calland

Ian McNaught is Head Chef at the luxury Roman Camp Country House Hotel and Restaurant, and is also a Masterchef of Great Britain. In 1999 he became one of the youngest chefs in Scotland to receive 3 AA Rosettes, and he was named Scottish Hotel Chef of the year in 2007. He describes his style simply as modern Scottish cuisine with a French influence. He takes as much care in his presentation as his cooking, and his innovative combinations reveal an excellent balance of ingredients and consistency throughout all courses.
Web: www.romancamphotel.co.uk

Matt Dobson, Castleton House Hotel, by Glamis

Matt Dobson is the Head Chef at Castleton House Hotel, by Glamis in Angus. Matt’s passion for food and cookery shone through last year during his first appearance at the Festival, and he is looking forward to demonstrating again in September.. 2009 has been a busy year for Matt, who is also taking part in Masterchef The Professionals with the BBC.
Web: www.castletonglamis.co.uk

Geoffrey Smeddle, The Peat Inn, Fife

Chef and food columnist, Geoffrey Smeddle has built on his formidable reputation since taking over the Peat Inn in 2006, and his contemporary and refreshing style has won him clients from all over the world. Combining his passion for sourcing the best local and seasonal ingredients, and his flair for creating a modern take on traditional dishes, Geoffrey has continued the restaurant’s long tradition of excellence.
Web: www.thepeatinn.co.uk

Craig Millar, The Seafood Restaurants, St. Andrews and St. Monans

Craig Millar, is the Executive Chef and co-proprietor of the multi-award winning Seafood Restaurants, St Andrews and St Monans. Born and educated in Dundee, Craig is a member of the Master Chef of Great Britain Association and has won a number of awards for his culinary skills.
Web: www.theseafoodrestaurant.com

Ryan Young, Opus One Restaurant at The New County Hotel, Perth

Ryan Young is Head Chef at Opus One Restaurant at The New County Hotel in Perth. Since the restaurant opened in April 2008 he has been awarded 2 AA Rosettes, Rising Star Restaurant of The Year 2009, from Scottish Hotel of The Year Awards and a Platinum Plate from Hotel Review Scotland. Ryan describes his cooking style as Modern Scottish with French Influences.

David Proctor at the Hilton Hotel, Dundee

David’s career has spanned 30 years which started with a commis chef position at the London Royal Garden Kensington. He then worked in Chester before moving to St Andrews where he worked at the Old Course Hotel and Russacks Hotel. David then worked in Newcastle, coming back to Scotland to work as head chef at the Swallow Hotel and then at the Hilton Hotel in Dundee. David is passionate about cooking fresh produce in a simple way to retain the flavours.

Steven Craik, The Famous Grouse Experience

Steven Craik, the award winning executive chef at The Famous Grouse Experience at Glenturret Distillery, Creiff, since 1999, will be taking part in the cooking demonstrations in the Food Festival Marquee on Saturday and Sunday.

With over 15 years experience in catering, Steven has won numerous awards during his career. Steven loves working at the Crieff distillery with the many exciting opportunities it brings. His job has taken him all over the world where he introduces people to his famous whisky dinners, called Fasan Ur, where each course is served with a different whisky and in a variety of drinking formats. Within the last two years, Steven has visited Moscow, Brazil, Frankfurt, Stockholm and has even had the opportunity to cook in Ceasar’s Palace, the famous Las Vegas landmark.

Graham Riley, The Landmark Hotel, Dundee

Since 2000 Graham has been Chef Proprietor of Lochside Lodge & Roundhouse Restaurant in Lintrathen, Angus which has achieved numerous awards. Including 2 AA Rosettes, VisitScotland for Flavour of Scotland in 2006, Restaurant with Rooms Award and Gold Dining Award HotelReviewScotland.com and 2 ticks in Scotland the Best. An innovative Chef, Graham likes to combine natural local produce and flavours with modern twists.
Now overseeing the refurbishment and re-launch of The Landmark Hotel in Dundee, Graham is also a Master Chef of Great Britain.

Charles Lockley, Boath House

Charles has taken the hotel to a coveted Michelin Star and 4AA rosettes, placing the restaurant among the top four in Scotland and securing its status as one of the most notable in Britain. Charles was also named the 2009 Scottish Chef of the Year at the Scottish Chef Awards.

Charles and Boath House owners Wendy and Don Matheson are very proud of the hotel’s kitchen gardens which provide much of the organic fruit, herbs and vegetables for the restaurant. Honey comes from their own bee hives and local suppliers provide high quality seafood (caught and delivered daily by West Coast fisherman), as well as meat and cheeses sourced from a nearby organic dairy.

Charles has a unique style and approach and his passion, dedication and confidence all shine through in his dishes. He has also introduced wild foods into his menus using traditionally foraged ingredients such as wild mushrooms and herbs.

Daniel Radtke, Dundee College

Daniel started working as a chef in 1989 in Germany and worked in several local Hotels and restaurants, including in the Michelin-starred restaurant “Landhaus Scherrer” in Hamburg, he then came to Britain in 1994 and worked for Stakis / Hilton Hotels in Keswick and Dunkeld. He worked in Gleneagles Hotel over the 2005 G8 summit and most recently as Senior Sous Chef in the Apex Hotel Dundee, before starting as a chef lecturer in Dundee College.

David Rutter, Dundee College

David started as a commis chef at the Isle of Skye Hotel, then worked at the Tayside Hotel in Stanley and Kinfauns Castle, where he was promoted to chef de partie. In 2003 he went to Australia for a year, then worked at the Seafood Restaurant in St Andrews before a spell working in the Channel Islands. David started working at Dundee College while working as senior chef de partie at Murrayshall House Hotel, then became a full-time member of the College staff.

Bruce Price, Apex Hotels, Dundee, Edinburgh and London

Bruce is the Executive Chef for the Apex Hotels group, and has responsibility for overseeing the menus and kitchens in their hotels in Dundee, Edinburgh and London. He started his career as an Apprentice Chef at the Hermitage Hotel at Mount Cook in New Zealand. He has won a number of awards throughout his career, and has also been a competition judge on many occasions.
Web: www.apexhotels.co.uk

Walter McCrindle, Dundee College

Dundee College chef lecturer Walter McCrindle’s cookery demonstrations, using the best of local produce to create tasty and healthy dishes, have become a firm favourite at the Flower and Food Festival.

Robert Tiffin, The Sizzling Scot, Edinburgh

Robert Tiffin has worked all over the world, and early in his career he was on Nantucket Island, off Cape Cod, cooking with fresh produce straight from the area’s famous fishing fleet. Robert spent two formative years in Denmark honing his craft with the fantastic team at the Globen Flakket Restaurant. His greatest influence is Alan Yau, the creator of Hakkasan, for his sheer self belief, tenacity and attention to detail.
Web: www.sizzlingscot.co.uk