Revelations: Lorna McNee, head chef, Cail Bruich, Glasgow

What was your best subject at school?

 

Either maths or art

 

What was your first job?

 

As a kitchen porter in a family-run Italian restaurant

 

What was your first job in catering?

 

In the same restaurant as a commis chef, picking parsley and debearding mussels

 

What do you normally have for breakfast?

 

Poached eggs or if I’m in a rush it’s a porridge pot

 

What do you do to relax?

 

I take my dogs for a long walk then home for a decent cup of tea

 

Which is your favourite restaurant?

 

Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Perthshire. It’s amazing. But my favourite meal has to be at Core by Clare Smyth in London

 

What’s your favourite hotel?

 

Gleneagles

 

What is your favourite drink?

 

Spiced rum with a squeeze of lime and ice, or red wine

 

What is your favourite food/cuisine?

 

Italian every time! So simple yet so tasty

 

Which ingredient do you hate the most?

 

Fennel or dill

 

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?

 

When I was growing up I loved Gordon Ramsay. I had all his books and loved his drive and love of great food

 

Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?

 

A bottle of Krug Champagne

 

If not yourself, who would you rather have been?

 

I don’t ever see myself as wanting to be someone else. The only thing I’d want to be is my dog. That dog lives the life of a king!

 

If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?

 

I would be a criminal photographer, and I’ve often thought about being a firefighter. Anything with adrenaline or fear is where I would have ended up. I live for that rush and pressure.

 

Who would play “you” in a film about your life?

 

Megan Fox... because she’s gorgeous. Ha ha

 

What irritates you most about the industry?

 

Some people have massive egos. We should all be humble and support each other.

 

What is your favourite prepared product?

 

Co-op Irresistible salt and vinegar crisps