Andrew Fairlie Scholarship finals to go ahead in November

The second annual Andrew Fairlie Scholarship finals will take place on 16 November at Perth College UHI after a delay caused by the pandemic.

Five chefs will compete for the chance to be named scholars and to undertake stages at an international kitchen and at two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles and three-Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth in London.

The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship was launched in 2019 in recognition of the late chef’s lasting contribution to the hospitality industry. It is spearheaded by HIT Scotland and supported by the Scottish government, Scottish first minister, and Gleneagles hotel.

The scholarship recognises two outstanding individuals each year – one male and one female - who are forging ahead with their culinary career and working in Scotland.

In 2019, the winners were Emma-Rose Milligan and Kilmarnock and Joseph Harte from South Queensferry (both pictured above).

This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony at Gleneagles on 16 November.

Stephen McLaughlin, head chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie and lead judge, said: “We have had to wait a while for this year’s Andrew Fairlie Scholarship to come around and now that it is almost upon us, we are as excited and as privileged as ever to play our part in preserving and extending chef Andrew’s legacy through nurturing and mentoring this year’s very talented finalists.”

This year’s finalists are as follows:

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  Josh Wilkinson, 26, senior chef de partie at the Isle of Eriska hotel, Oban

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  Amy Stephenson, 22, chef de partie at the Torridon, Wester Ross

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  Spud Henderson, 32, chef de partie at Craig Millar @ 16 West End, St Monans

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  Ryan McCutcheon, 29, chef patron at Achray House Hotel, Crieff

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  Peter Meechen, 24, chef de partie at the Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, Crieff