An Interview with Scottish Young Chef of the Year
11th March 2025
On the 27th of February our Fresh Olive Apprentice Chef Oliver, took home the title of Scottish Young Chef of the Year at ScotHot in Glasgow. This week we caught up with Oliver to chat about his preparation for the competition, his menu and what the rest of his 2025 looks like.
Why did you enter the competition?
"I chose to enter the Scottish Young Chef of the Year competition at ScotHot because I saw it is an opportunity to continue to progress in my career. I figured that the learning I'd be able to do throughout the months of preparing would be invaluable due to the intensity of preparing for a competition versus day to day chef work."
Tell me about your Entier journey?
"I started with the company in September 2022 and I have really applied myself from day one, I have learned so much thanks to the great team that have guided me. In particular, Orry, Andrew and Fraser. As an apprentice I couldn't be more fortunate to have the mentors I do."
How did you pick your menu?
"When it came to picking out my menu, I followed the competition brief where we were given specific ingredients to use. I had to pick 3 courses which I would serve 4 covers of, so in total I had to prepare 12 dishes.
- Starter: Scallop and Langoustine Ravioli with Mushroom and Madeira Sauce
- Main Course: Roasted Pork Fillet with side bowl of Sticky Pig Cheek
- Dessert: Chocolate Souffle with Yoghurt and Pear Sorbet
My main focus when picking out my menu was to make the most of local seasonal products."
What was your reaction to winning the competition?
"My initial reaction was honestly just relief, I knew how much work I had put into preparing and it was important to me for the results to reflect this. Now the dust has settled a bit, I just feel very pleased - it was the dream scenario to earn the gold medal."
Looking forward, what are your next steps?
"When it comes to my future plans, I'm just looking forward to keeping my head down and learning everyday in the kitchen from the great team around me. As for future competitions, I will be competing for the Seafood Chef of the Year title at the North East Chef of the Year competition hosted by Hospitality Training in May.
I also have my eye on The Young National Chef of the Year competition in October, we will see how the year goes!"
