Rory Taylor of The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen was crowned north-east chef of the year at a prestigious ceremony in Aberdeen last night.
He impressed a panel of discerning judges to scoop the top cook’s gong at the climax to the North East of Scotland Chef and Restaurant of the Year 2016 contest.
Other honours presented before a large audience at the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa included the restaurant of the year title, which went to The Falls of Feugh Restaurant near Banchory.
MacLeod House at Trump International Golf Links at Menie, near Balmedie, took the top accolade in the hotel restaurant of the year category.
And Sean Findlay was named young chef of the year amid a hat-trick of triumphs for the Falls of Feugh Restaurant.
The lamb and pastry chef of the year awards went to two of The Chester’s team, Craig Palmer and David Freelove respectively, while Kyle Jackson of Aberdeen’s Rox Hotel was named top seafood cook.
Judges decided the No 1 Bar and Grill, Aberdeen, deserved the best bar food title, while The Falls of Feugh Restaurant came away with the prize for best afternoon tea.
A special award for best newcomer was presented to Saplinbrae Hotel at Mintlaw.
Mr Taylor’s award-winning menu featured a starter of scallops, with pork cheek, pickled onion, cauliflower puree and Granny Smith apple.
The main course consisted of halibut, with lemon beurre noisette, smoked brown shrimps, baby squid, crushed Jersey Royal potatoes and bacon foam.
And the dessert was buttermilk panna cotta, with poached strawberries, almond granola and strawberry sorbet.
The latest search for the region’s best chefs and restaurants, recognising culinary excellence and the use of quality local produce, sorted out the best from the rest among the chefs during two days of cook-offs at North East Scotland College (NESC) in Aberdeen.
Judges included Federation of Chefs Scotland (FCS) vice-president and Kildrummy Inn owner David Littlewood, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles head chef Stephen McLaughlin, Mar Hall executive chef Joe Queen and Gleneagles Hotel executive chef Alan Gibb.
Mr Littlewood said: “It has been wonderful to see such enthusiasm from the finalists and employers in light of the difficult economic circumstances, which have had an adverse effect on the hospitality industry over the past year”.
UK Masterchef Jeff Purves, who judged the restaurant, bar food and afternoon tea categories in May, added: “The standards were high, the food offer was impressive and, what’s more, good value.
“It was very encouraging to see such enthusiasm, innovation, and a commitment to the use of locally sourced ingredients”.
The culinary contest is organised annually by Aberdeen-based Hospitality Training, Scotland’s only industry-specific group training body.
Competition sponsors this year included Entier, Fresh, Braehead Foods, G. McWilliam Aberdeen, Turriffs of Montrose, Simpsons of Buckie, Sutherlands of Portsoy, NESC, FCS, the Press and Journal, the Marcliffe and Steelite.