CATCH OF THE DAY

Seafood doesn’t come much fresher than at The Oyster Bar at MacCallums of Troon

Fresh fish is always on the menu at The Oyster Bar at MacCallums of Troon

With access to some of the best seafood in Scotland just 50 metres away, it is perhaps no surprise that MacCallums of Troon’s head chef Ross Auld is renowned for his signature dishes, which are designed to show off the best of the west coast’s catch.

‘In my opinion, taste-wise, the waters off the west coast of Scotland have got some of the best seafood in the world,’ he says. ‘At MacCallums, we get it fresh off the boats as soon as they come in, which is an advantage over other restaurants in the country who may be taking two days off the freshness of the catch to allow for travel time. Everything we use is just that bit fresher, that bit nicer and that little bit more special.’

Having begun his career ten years ago washing dishes in the popular Ayrshire oyster bar, Ross has worked his way through the ranks to take on the role of head chef. ‘The head chefs before me were quite old-school. I learnt what I know from watching what they were doing and picking it up myself. When I knew that this was what I wanted to do, I began to practice at home more and now, when it comes to designing menus, I figure out in my head what will work and then just give it a try.’

Working with such fine ingredients means that Ross tends to let his food do the talking. ‘The recipes I’ve shared are simple dishes using quality seafood that speaks for itself.’