Steven Doherty
Managing Director - Cook School at Braehead Foods
Steven’s culinary experience is unparalleled as is his contribution to the catering industry. He began his career at the Savoy before moving to La Gavroche as commis chef where he worked his way up to head chef. Under Steven, Le Gavroche went on to gain three Michelin stars making him the first ever British head chef at a three Michelin-starred establishment and over the next five years Steven and Le Gavroche went on to win every major European food accolade going. Steven became part of Albert Roux's consultancy team which later opened The Grand Hotel in Amsterdam where Steven was Executive Chef. A change of scenery beckoned and Steven and his wife Marjorie moved to the Lake District to run the Brown Horse in Winster and later The Punch Bowl at Crosthwaite, front runners in the gastro pub movement. Today Steven is also a consultant for well known retailer Lakeland’s new café areas at their key stores across the UK and chair of the judges of Gordon Ramsay’s scholarship.

Nell Nelson
Edinburgh-born Nell Nelson was recently the presenter of the popular TV cycling series The Woman Who Ate Scotland. As well as cycling all over Scotland, Nell has cycled through much of South East Asia.  Impressed by the quality and the passion for food she saw there, Nell was sure her beloved Scotland could rival Asia and ‘The Woman Who Ate Scotland’ was born.

Nell is also a qualified nutritionist, practising at Neal’s Yard Remedies in Edinburgh.  She also organises nutritional meals to be delivered to clients’ homes and offices and gives nutritional demos and talks.

Nell has recently written and released a nutritional cookbook called Eat Well With Nell.

Jacqueline O’Donnell
Big Sis of The Sisters restaurants Glasgow - Cook School at Braehead Foods
Jacqueline, who has cooked alongside Jean-Cristophe Novelli, Michael Caines and Lady Claire MacDonald, runs two very successful restaurants with her sister in Glasgow. Working with local suppliers to bring a taste of the “real” Scotland to the heart of Glasgow, she has made the restaurants popular with her creative style of home cooking. Jacqueline was highly commended in the Scottish Chef awards in 2006, winner of the City Chef of the Year in 2007, and nominated for the Which? Good Food Guide in 2008.

Craig Dunn
Abode - Cook School at Braehead Foods
Executive Head Chef at Abode Glasgow, Craig joined the Michael Caines team in early 2008. A born and bred Glaswegian, he brings a wealth of experience, product knowledge and an innate understanding of the unique Glasgow market requirements. Craig’s goal is producing tasty, fresh foods using the best local and regional foods based on Michael Caines’ values and style of cooking. He enjoys cooking with the finest fish and shellfish from the West Coast and Scottish meat and lamb, which he believes stands up alongside the very best anywhere in the world.

Maxine Gough
Children’s party organiser and trained chef and registered child minder - Cook School at Braehead Foods
Maxine trained as a chef over 10 years ago and then specialised in children’s cookery classes. She says her classes are about healthy eating, fun and being interactive. Maxine has her own business which works with children from nursery age upwards to stimulate their interest in eating healthily. Maxine is also a registered child minder and a mother. She fell into the children’s party industry by chance as she kept being asked by friends to cater at parties and setting up her own business was a logical extension. She found she had a natural aptitude and really enjoyed her work and research showed her that there was a gap in the market for this kind of business in Scotland and particularly in Glasgow and Ayrshire and she hasn’t looked back.

Ian Brown
Ubiquitous Chip - Cook School at Braehead Foods
Ian has been with the Chip for over 20 years and has helped to establish it as one of Glasgow’s most famous and popular restaurants. In this time it has been constantly mentioned in the Which? Good Food Guide as well as winning a host of culinary accolades. Ian and the Chip’s philosophy are to use the best of Scottish produce and always create interesting and appetizing dishes. It is this approach which makes it a culinary institution and Ian one of Scotland’s most revered Chefs.

Jo Macsween
Macsween Haggis
Guardians of Scotland’s National dish
Jo Macsween comes from a family of haggis aficionados. Along with her brother James, they are the third generation to head up a firm that is known and respected as one of the world’s leading haggis brands.
Macsween of Edinburgh are the originators of the world’s first vegetarian haggis and 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of its launch onto the market place. To mark this special occasion, Jo will be presenting some tasty recipes to demonstrate the versatility of this nutty and delicious alternative to our national dish.

Michael Kilkie
The Jefferson - Cook School at Braehead Foods
Michael is Chef / Proprietor of The Jefferson in Kilmarnock. He specialises in modern Scottish cuisine with a Mediterranean twist. Since the restaurant’s launch, it’s been awarded “Hot Plate of the Year” and was a runner up in the DRAM publications “Best New Restaurant of the Year”. Michael also writes a well respected cooking and recipe column in the Scottish Sunday Mail.

Tony Borthwick
The Plumbed Horse, Leith

Tony has not always been a Chef.  He used to work for the Yorkshire Water Authority until a serious accident prompted him to change his career.
In 1987 Tony broke his neck and decided whilst recovering in hospital that he would do what he’d always wanted to do – cook.

Tony is self-taught. There is no illustrious CV to bolster up the reputation – just the food.  He moved jobs frequently to gain experience and finished his cooking career in London at the Savoy before relocating to Glasgow in 1990 working in some well-known restaurants and then opening The Plumed Horse in Crossmichael, near Castle Douglas where he gained a coveted Michelin Star in 2001.  2006 saw Tony move The Plumed Horse to the up and coming area of Leith where its reputation goes from strength to strength.

Paul TamburriniExecutive Chef, Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens
Paul started his career at Glasgow’s Rogano Restaurant in 1989.  He has since worked for some of Scotland’s most prestigious five star establishments including Turnberry Hotel,  The Hilton, Cameron House and Balmoral Rocco Forte.  He spent a year at Marco Pierre White’ Michelin starred L’escargot in London, and a year at the Michelin starred Airds Hotel in Scotland where he was head chef. 

In 1999 he worked with Martin Wishart, as Chef Proprietor, to open his restaurant – within a year, the restaurant received a Michelin Star and 4AA Rosettes.   In September 2006, The Bistro at Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens was opened with Paul as Executive Chef.  In just over a year, the restaurant has gained 3AA Rosettes, and been awarded ‘Glasgow Restaurant of the Year’ by The List magazine, and ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurant’ by The Metro Scotland Food & Drink Awards’.  He has received great press reviews including 10/10 from Joanna Blythman, Sunday Herald, and 27/30 from Ron McKenna, The Herald.  
 
'I’m really looking forward to participating in the Tesco Enjoy the Taste of Scotland Event.  I’m passionate about quality and delivering the very best.  I believe strongly in supporting Scotland’s producers and my menus are created using ingredients and produce, which demonstrate the wonderfully fresh and seasonal local ingredients available.'

Jason McNelly
Head Chef - Cook School at Braehead Foods

Jason has 16 years industry experience working his way up from commis to head chef during this time working in small and large scale kitchens. He was delighted to join the team at Cook School at Braehead Foods and is in charge of the day to day running of the cook school as well as taking classes too. Jason has also worked with cook school MD Steven Doherty before several years ago in various kitchens from Kleinwort Benson to Bafta, Gavvers, Rouxl Brittania.

Tom Lewis

Monacle Mhor - Cook School at Braehead Foods

Tom has been living at Monachyle Mhor since 1983.  After running the family farm and shearing sheep around the world, he returned home in 1996, where he learned to cook from his mother.  Since taking over the running of the hotel and kitchen, the hotel has won numerous awards for the standard of cooking and quality of accommodation.  What Tom doesn’t produce on his family farm or grow in the organic garden or pick wild in the hedgerows, he makes a point of sourcing locally within a 30-mile radius.  He is a firm believer in the best of Scottish products and has a true commitment to the Slow Food Movement. 

He has taken the commitment to good food to MHOR FISH Fish Restaurant/Fishmongers and MHOR BREAD, both in Callender.

Tom recently also took part in “the Great British Menu” competing with Nick Nairn, to cook for the Queen.

A few of the accolades Tom has won:

“Best out of town Restaurant” Booker Prize Industry Award
“Hotel of the Year” Observer Food Monthly – Best Newcomer