Four multi-award-winning north-east chefs will get the spotlight on the main stage at this year’s Taste of Grampian.
Running from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, June 1 at P&J Live in Dyce, each talent will be showcasing their culinary skills at different points throughout the day.
From small plates and handcrafted patisserie to dishes shining a lighting on local produce, the chefs intend on pulling out all the stops to satisfy event goers.
But who are the local chefs heading to Taste of Grampian 2024? And what will they be doing on the Taste of Grampian stage?
Let’s take a look…
1) Kevin Dalgleish, Amuse
Kevin Dalgleish opened his Aberdeen restaurant Amuse, which specialises in modern Scottish cuisine with French influences, in July 2022.
He is originally from the Borders and trained at The Savoy in London.
This will be his third year demonstrating on the stage at the north-east’s favourite indoor foodie event.
“I am so looking forward to returning,” he tells me.
Kevin will be giving the crowd a taste of what Amuse offers.
His dish he’ll be cooking for the Taste of Grampian crowd?
Roast loin of Aberdeenshire lamb with braised shoulder, spiced aubergine, confit courgette, salsa verdi, goats curd, and a lamb jus.
Kevin considers the dish, which uses lamb sourced from just a few miles away (from his restaurant), “perfect during the transition into summer”.
He added: “Taste of Grampian is a fantastic opportunity to bring like-minded people from Aberdeenshire and beyond together to celebrate the wonderful produce of the north-east of Scotland.
“It’s a great way to gain a deeper understanding of just how key a player Aberdeenshire is in food and drink production in Scotland. It really does make you proud to be part of such a thriving industry!”
2) Graham Sutherland, Sutherland’s Pastry Academy and Coffee Shop
Graham Sutherland is among the top patisserie and chocolate chefs in Europe. Born in Blairgowie, he has travelled to locations across the globe throughout his career.
Graham returned to Banchory from Switzerland in November 2022, and has since launched his own coffee shop, Sutherland’s Pastry and Coffee Shop, and business enterprise The Pastry Academy.
This year will mark his Taste of Grampian debut.
“Although I’m used to doing live weekly pastry and chocolate demos at The Pastry Academy (located at Inchmarlo Golf Centre), it’s a fantastic opportunity to be able to showcase what we do at The Pastry Academy, and Sutherland’s Pastry and Coffee Shop, to a much larger audience,” says Graham.
The pastry chef will be demonstrating how to make one of Sutherland’s signature pastries – a vanilla crème brûlée encased in a whipped chocolate ganache and served on a sable biscuit.
Graham added: “I’ll be introducing everyone to the modern interpretation of chocolate and pastry art, from the techniques used to the final construction and garnishing.
“What sets Taste of Grampian apart is its celebration of the region’s rich culinary heritage and diverse array of artisanal producers.”
For Sutherland’s, the event presents a platform to not only showcase their own creations but also to connect with fellow chefs, producers and enthusiasts.
3) Graham Mitchell, Tarragon
Graham Mitchell has been an advocate for the north-east hospitality scene for some time, and he has won many accolades over the years.
The dad-of-five runs his own successful 50 to 60-cover restaurant in Rosemount, known as Tarragon. A second Tarragon venue is opening very soon, too.
Graham has even teased at announcing the location of his new restaurant at the one-day event.
Exciting, right?
Like Kevin, this isn’t the first time he’ll be showcasing his culinary skills on a Taste of Grampian stage.
“I’m really looking forward to cooking at Taste of Grampian as I’ve done it for many years now,” says Graham,
“It’s a great day out for like-minded foodies and a great showcase of local suppliers.
“What I most like about the event is it’s a platform for our wee independent businesses to be seen and for the local homegrown chefs to highlight their skills and promote their businesses.”
While Graham is keeping the dish he’ll be demonstrating under wraps, he assures it will be “a nod to the north-east”.
“I enjoy giving people a dish that they can take away a few elements from, and do their own dish with it,” he adds.
“People can expect some tasty food and some chef banter to top it off!”
4) Ross Cochrane, Mara
Husband and wife team Carolina and Ross Cochrane transformed the former Tasty Thistle on Aberdeen’s Thistle Street to bring Aberdeen food and drink fans Mara, an Italian-inspired wine bar.
It opened its doors earlier this year, and serves Italian-influenced small plate dishes, using fresh Scottish produce, along with top class wine.
The couple used to run the plush Rothesay Rooms in Ballater.
Speaking about Taste of Grampian, Ross says he’s looking forward to “seeing all the local businesses come together at one big event”.
He added: “Is’ a great buzz. It’s important to stay involved with something like Taste of Grampian to see what else is going on around the city and shire.
“The event is great for a number of reasons but [it] really just captures what the north-east has on offer.”
Ross will be demonstrating some of Mara’s small plates that can be easily recreated at home.
Ticket information
Early bird tickets for admission are now on sale on Ticketmaster, priced at £12.50 (plus a £1 booking fee). Children under 12 go free.
The celebrity chef demonstrations are £20 (plus a £1.50 booking fee).
Parking in the underground car park on-site at P&J Live is also free.
Taste of Grampian 2024 is brought to you by the Press and Journal in association with ANM Group.
Event sponsors include Cala Homes, Laings, Costco, Aloft, Hilton Teca, Dough & Co and Opportunity North East (ONE).
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