Meet the head chef of Glasgow's best new restaurant and discover his food loves

The Saturday Kitchen star, and owner of Eleven Fifty Five (formerly The Gannet) in Glasgow shares his life in food

What is your first food memory?

Fishing with my cousin, then cooking our catch of rainbow trout at my grandparents' house in Emyvale, it's the first memory I have of me trying to cook.

How would you describe your cooking style?

Honest and produce-led. I’m not interested in creating overly fussy plates. At Eleven Fifty Five, it’s refined bistro cooking. It's about layered flavours and using the best Scottish and Irish produce.

What's your ultimate guilty food pleasure?

I don't feel food-related guilt, as long as it's made with some love and care it deserves its place at my table.

What is your favourite food destination, outside Scotland?

San Sebastián in Spain. The pintxos culture there is off the charts, standing in those tiny bars eating incredible bites, one after the other, with a cold txakoli. It’s perfection.

Favourite cookbook and why?

It has to be the Banc cookbook by Liam Tomlin. It's not just a recipe book, it's a restaurant bible, bringing you on the journey from the keys opening the door in the morning to locking back up at the end of the night, A truly remarkable book. I spent a very formative part of my career in that kitchen and the book brings me right back, you can feel the energy that restaurant had in those pages.

What's your favourite Scottish restaurant/cafe/bar/deli?

That's a very difficult question as there are so many. My wife, Chala, and I don't get out together often so when we eat out it's usually somewhere family-friendly. That said, we had a magnificent lunch at Made From Grapes in Glasgow’s Southside. Every dish was a delight. The new kid on the Finnieston block brings a slice of San Sebastián to Glasgow, and has brilliant cooking and vibes, I can see myself slipping across the road for some chilled Basque whites and a few pintxos after service. Swadish has an incredible biryani service, which is very regal and every mouthful packs a punch. Or for a blowout, I'd head to one of Greme Cheevers’ restaurants, Unalome in Glasgow or Loma at Cameron House Hotel. Both are a masterclass in fine dining. We are extremely lucky to have so many brilliant independent food and drink operators in Glasgow, it's hard to venture further afield.

Favourite ingredient?

Butter. Unsalted, good quality Scottish butter. Wee Knob Dairy is a favourite. It’s the foundation of everything. As my old mentors would say, more butter is always the answer.

Worst ingredient?

I probably shouldn't say this, but… truffle oil. It’s a synthetic, overpowering cheat that just ruins dishes. The real thing is magic, the oil is a menace.

Biggest kitchen nightmare?

Working a busy Saturday night service in our tiny kitchen when the electrics died. There was mid-summer heat, a full dining room and thick smoke from the BBQ. It was like cooking in the pits of hell. Absolute chaos, but the handwritten checks kept coming. As a small business we couldn't afford to close our doors and turn guests away. More candles came out and we just had to crack on.

Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party and what would you eat?

I’d have Anthony Bourdain and my two grandfathers, one of whom I never got to have a pint with. We'd start with oysters and Guinness, then have a massive, slow-cooked bone-in ribeye to share, with dripping chips, béarnaise sauce, and a lot of good red wine. Stories would be legendary.

And what are you up to these days?

Flat out, honestly. Summer holidays are here, so I'm spending as much time as possible with my daughter while the schools are closed. We're heading to check out the girolle site next week, as she loves foraging with me. And when I'm not with Ada, I'm pouring my energy into Eleven Fifty Five: building it into a proper neighbourhood restaurant with killer food and a great atmosphere. Of course, I'm still keeping an eye on El Perro Negro too, as their owner Nick's doing a tremendous job making sure they're still the best burgers in Scotland.

www.bistroelevenfiftyfive.com