Chef Profile - Meet Musselburgh Racecourse Head Chef who's cooked for the royal family, Beyonce & Sir Sean Connery

His innovative menus and acclaimed cookery skills - which are available for all racegoers to experience via gourmet hospitality packages or raceday Pinkies Deli - are legendary. With his new exquisite summer menus having just launched at Musselburgh Racecourse, we sit down with the 36-year-old Edinburgh chef to learn more about his passions and inspiration, his favourite ingredients and dishes, and what’s hot in the kitchen this year.

You started working in a professional kitchen at the age of 14. What made you want to become a chef?

My father was a chef and I used to go to the restaurants and hotels he ran and watch the team in action. I caught the cooking bug at a young age and was so inspired by the team; it made me realise I wanted to do nothing more than cook myself. I also cooked with my dad at home all the time and this made me a young passionate foody destined for the culinary world!

Tell us about your career and how you got where you are today

After working part time from the age of 14, I took on a full-time role at the age of 15 at Prestonfield Hotel where I learned my craft working with some of the best chefs in the country. I spent five years there before moving to 3 rosette restaurant La Garrigue where I spent 18 months working with chef Jean Michele. After travelling around Thailand which was so inspirational foodwise, I returned to Edinburgh and took the role as sous chef at the business school by Royal bank of Scotland, a private five star hotel for high profile bankers. We cooked amazing food there and built a very strong team.

A year later Prestonfield beckoned again and I returned, age 22, to work under my mentor, Kenny Coltman. I had the most amazing time and was able to put my own stamp on the Edinburgh food scene. When Kenny left to launch his own restaurant, Coltman, I followed and we went on to win numerous accolades. I spent nearly three years at Coltman before moving back to Edinburgh to take on the role of head chef of at boutique hotel, The Dunstane, where I introduced a fine dining concept to the restaurant. I left seven years ago to join Heritage Portfolio, working my way up the ladder to executive head chef.

My role now consists of the day to day running of the kitchen operation, working on projects and future proofing projects. There’s client meetings, client tastings, menu development and innovation planning for the company within Scotland. No two days are ever the same which I love.

You’ve certainly achieved a lot in your 21 year career. Is there a highlight so far?

Cooking dinner for the A-list guests at the MTV Europe Awards when I was 16 with a kitchen full of 2 Michelin starred chefs from Gordon Ramsay group! I remember the experience as if it was yesterday. And getting offered a job at the end of it was the cherry on top. 

I’ve been lucky to have cooked for numerous famous people over my career span, but the one that stands out is definitely sir Sean Connery. He dined very regularly at the Pompadour restaurant and it was always an honour and privilege to cook for him. He always ordered chateaubriand with beef dripping chips and a bearnaise sauce.

Cooking show MasterChef is back on our screens with a new series and you appeared on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2020! How was the experience?

It was amazing, an experience I will never forget. It was seriously high pressure and you were against the clock. I gave myself too much to do but I wouldn’t change a thing as I always push myself. The whole MasterChef crew were amazing and made the show very enjoyable. 

Do you think we’ve become a nation of foodies?

I believe as a nation, we’re definitely obsessed with food whether it be through cooking, eating or watching cooking shows. I think the likes of Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay’s shows have injected the cooking and dining bug into a lot of people. People are often more knowledgeable and experimental  when it comes to dining and cooking.

Where do you get your inspiration from when it comes to creating innovative dishes all the time?

To be honest it just comes completely naturally to me. I guess experience, past influences and remembering techniques shown to me by the amazing chefs in my career path comes in to it, but a lot of inspiration just comes from experimenting with pairing flavours and textures, and the result you can achieve.

Tell us about your all-time favourite dish to create!

It’s definitely my confit belly of salmon with braised oxtail, served with a liver and cabbage parcel, wild garlic and potato soufflé, marmite broccoli and chive butter sauce. It’s not an overly fancy dish but seriously tasty and rich.

What do you love cooking or eating when you’re not working?

Seafood all the way for me. Halibut, scallops, salmon, sea bass…any of these are my ultimate favourite ingredients. I also love making curries and risottos at home.

Favourite ingredients to work with right now?

I have a real thing for veal sweetbreads. It’s a cut of meat not used enough, so versatile and delicious. I also love working with monkfish which equally versatile, can hold up against huge flavours and still sing as the main event.

How important are quality, seasonal ingredients to a dish?

Seasonality is huge when considering menus. Any ingredient is at its best when in prime season so there’s no reason we should use ingredients when not at its best - or coming from countries afar. Everyone should be mindful of sustainability and the carbon footprint of the ingredients we use.

Favourite restaurant in Edinburgh right now?

My personal favourite is Ondine for their amazing seafood cooked with flare. They use the best of local produce and dishes aren’t over complicated.

Favourite dish on the menu at Musselburgh Racecourse?

It would have to be the roast rump of lamb, minted belly, served with a confit garlic and watercress mash, glazed greens, anise carrot and lamb jus. I love the balance and humble honest cooking which comes with preparing this dish. And in my opinion works in harmony.

Any top tips for cooking / entertaining at home?

Know your audience when cooking! If it’s a crowd who are easy to please, cook honest simple tasty food. If it’s for a more cultured crowd, be adventurous and use cook books if you need to. And another tip: less is more. It’s easy to overwhelm people when there’s too much of an offer.

To sample Paul Hood and the Heritage Portfolio team’s menus then why not book one of our hospitality packages.