Scotland’s National Chef Looking Forward to Savouring Taste of Grampian

Scotland’s national chef, Gary Maclean, is looking forward to attending Taste of Grampian for the very first time this summer.

Mr Maclean, who was crowned the winner of MasterChef: The Professionals in 2016, will be joining the throngs at the festival, which celebrates the best of north-east produce and is sponsored by Specially Selected Pork.

The event, which last year attracted a record 16,000 visitors, takes place at the Thainstone Centre, near Inverurie, on June 2nd 2018.

Born in Glasgow, Mr Maclean’s career started working in hotels and by the age of 30 he opened his own restaurant.  From there he went on to run the kitchens at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art and the Burrell Collection.

Currently a senior lecturer at City of Glasgow College, Gary was appointed in 2017 as Scotland’s first national chef. Tasked with celebrating national produce, he has gone on to teach communities how to make the most of locally sourced, healthy and affordable food.

He is also a great believer in healthy cooking with quality products such as Specially Selected Pork, and is committed to encouraging more Scots to cook.

“I’m really looking forward to the event which is one I’ve wanted to go to for many years,” said Mr Maclean. “Taste of Grampian now has a fantastic profile Scotland-wide and I’ll definitely be heading round the stands to meet exhibitors and sample the fantastic food and drink on offer.”

Gary will be at the event with the Specially Selected Pork team. Visitors to the festival will hear his familiar tones as he takes part in various events throughout the day.

During the festival he will be showcasing his culinary skills for Taste of Grampian visitors, including a cookery demonstration which will take place in ring two.

During the festival he will also be one of the judges of the Taste of Grampian Aspiring Young Chef competition, which recognises the talents of the region’s exceptional young chefs.

Sponsored by Specially Selected Pork, the competition will take place in ring three. The winners will receive their awards from celebrity chef and former Saturday Kitchen presenter, James Martin.

Specially Selected Pork is the main sponsor of Taste of Grampian 2018. Its high-profile involvement aims to ensure visitors who attend the event leave with a better understanding of what sets the Scottish pig industry’s brand, with its quality assurance and high welfare standards, apart.