Consumers Encouraged to Learn with Leading Scottish Chefs during Lockdown

As people are spending more time at home than ever before, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is encouraging consumers to use their extra time with family to cook delicious, nutritious meals with virtual cookery lessons.

The lessons will be brought to life by a number of recognisable Scottish chefs in a series of recipe videos entitled “Chefs’ Specials”, including Scotland’s national chef Gary Maclean, Justin Maule, Jak O’Donnell and Andrew Doherty of the Dakota Glasgow.

The series has been developed in response to research that highlights that one of the three main trends of social media consumption during lockdown is people searching for information to learn a new skill.

QMS wants to help these people enhance their culinary skills and bring their families together during lockdown to make the most of mealtimes by recreating some of their favourite dishes from the outside world.

The series, set to launch on The Scotch Kitchen IGTV channel this week with a date night recipe by Andrew Doherty of Dakota Glasgow, will feature four leading Scottish chefs each week tackling a different cooking theme related to lockdown, including recreating a dish from a much-loved Scottish restaurant and getting the most out of store cupboard essentials.

Glasgow born award-winning chef Gary Maclean will feature in a four-week “Challenge Gary” mini-series as part of the campaign, whereby followers of The Scotch Kitchen’s Instagram channel can nominate ingredients to challenge him to create a recipe.

All recipes will incorporate Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI or Specially Selected Pork, products which are produced to the highest of welfare standards and reared on trusted Scottish farms, so consumers can enjoy restaurant quality meat from their homes.

Viewers will also be encouraged to buy meat locally to support the butchers, farmers and retailers who are all working doubly hard, with many offering delivery services, to keep people well fed during this time.

The campaign will be supported by influencer activity with well-known Glasgow Food Geek and The Lifestyle Hunter on board to follow the same themes as their chef counterparts.

Lesley Cameron, Director of Marketing and Communications with Quality Meat Scotland, said: “We hope this campaign will bring people together with their families, encourage them to learn new cooking skills and ultimately gain some enjoyment during these uncertain times, whether that be from the cooking itself or simply indulging in our world-class products – Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.

“We would also encourage people to support their local Scotch Butcher Club butcher by ordering meat if they don’t already have it at home, as many are offering deliveries as well as contactless collection.”

For more inspiration, visit www.scotchkitchen.com or follow Scotch Kitchen on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.