Emotional Lorna has the recipe for success
Top industry gong
A talented locally- based chef has won a prestigious industry accolade after impressing judges.
Auchterarder’s Lorna McKee, who works at Gleneagles Hotel’s Andrew Fairlie Restaurant, took home the sought-after Chef of the Year gong at the Scottish Culinary Championships.
The honour was bestowed upon Lorna at a ceremony held at Glasgow’s SECC on March 16.
In order to scoop the award, Lorna had to produce a menu to suitably wow experts in the field.
She also had to cook four lots of four dishes in front of a live audience at the competition, where her food was then tasted by the six judges.
Originally from Forres, the 29-year-old has been working in the two-star Michelin restaurant in Perthshire for more than eight years, and will now hold the national title for two years.
She admitted: “I cried! I was overwhelmed. There was a lot of pressure because I put so much hard work into doing it.
“You are exhausted from the long hours, but you really want to do well.
“I burst into tears and said thank God I did all that work! I was disappointed with my dishes so I really did not think I was going to get it.
“Everyone at the restaurant is super happy for me. They have all helped me and know how hard I work - it is not just Chef Andrew, it is everyone in the kitchen, so there were lots of hugs and congratulations. I have the whole team behind me.”
Her winning menu started with roasted veal sweetbread with mushroom tart, followed by a fish course of turbot a la meuniere.
She then won two individual titles for her main course of roast crown of squab, confit leg and creamed Brussels sprouts, finishing with a citrus millefeuille dessert to add to her overall win.