By day, Graham Mitchell is head chef at The Newmachar Hotel – but his trickiest customers can often be found round the family dinner table.
Aberdeen-based Graham, 36, lives with wife Clare and is dad to Milana, 2, Bella, 6, and stepchildren Ruby, 15, Raegan, 18, and Elle, 21.
Elle has just recently moved out, but there is still a wide range of ages and tastes to cater for.
And, Graham admits, it’s a challenge – even for a top chef.
The busy dad heads up the award-winning Scullery Restaurant at The Newmachar Hotel and is also chef patron of Tarragon Catering, as well as the Scottish National Culinary Team manager.
But still he struggles to get it right when it comes to feeding the kids.
‘That’s a no’
Graham explains: “I come to the problem where they will turn round and say ‘that’s burnt’. But it’s not burnt, it’s cooked. With pizza they want no colour on it all.
“For example, I seal chicken in a pan and it’s nice and brown, but that’s also a no, so I’ve had to start poaching chicken so there’s no colour on it.”
Like most parents, Graham is often baffled by the way children’s tastes can fluctuate.
He says: “It’s hard to tell with kids. My kids love fish and then just last week Bella said she didn’t like fish any more.
“Everyone has got a different palate and you’ll find that as you grow your palate will mature with you.
“For example, when you’re a kid you probably wouldn’t love blue cheese but when you get older your palate matures and you end up loving it.”
Favourite recipes
At home, his go-to recipes are dishes like chicken korma and rice, carbonara or chicken stroganoff (recipe below).
But sometimes he and Clare like to have a bit of peace and quiet to enjoy a more complex meal.
Graham says: “Half the time I do the kids’ food and then I will wait until they are bathed and in bed and then I will make mine and Clare’s dinner.”
He is passionate about getting young people cooking and even works with charity Springboard to encourage the next generation of hospitality workers.
Graham supports local high school children, doing cooking demonstrations and competitions.
Springboard was established to help tackle hospitality, leisure and tourism’s long-term staffing crisis. Its goal is to have 10,000 young people trained and ready for work this year.
Graham adds: “Back in the day, being a chef seemed quite glamorous but now everyone has been watching too much Gordon Ramsay and they’re realising it’s long hours, time and stress.”
Graham’s chicken stroganoff and rice
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 200g long grain rice
- 1/2tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2tsp wholegrain mustard
- Salt/pepper
- Olive oil
- 2 banana shallots, diced
- Two garlic cloves, sliced
- 4 chicken breasts (sliced in strips)
- 100g kale sliced
- One large portobello mushroom, sliced
- Three sprigs of flat leaf parsley chopped
- Two sprigs of tarragon chopped
- 100ml white wine
- 100ml double cream
Method
- Cook the rice in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes till tender, drain well place back in pan with lid on and set aside till serving.
- Place the chicken strips in a bowl, add the paprika and mustard and season with salt and pepper, mix well.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a saute pan, add the shallots and garlic and sweat for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Next add the sliced kale, mushroom and chopped herbs and cook for 1 minute then add the white wine and cream.
- Boil for a further 2 minutes then serve with the rice.
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