Jonathan Ferguson, Chef de Partie of Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at the Gleneagles Hotel has been crowned Game Chef of the Year 2018.
Now in its seventh year, the prestigious competition involves a nationwide search to find the best upcoming, professional game chef with entrants from all over the UK. Ten chefs from across the UK took part in a cook off on 29 January at Braehead Foods in Kilmarnock, in association with specialist venison producer Highland Game.
Each finalist had to prepare two game based dishes, one starter and one main course for the panel of judges: Paul Gayler MBE of Braehead Foods, Shay Cooper of the Goring Restaurant London, Ian McAndrew of Blackaddie House Hotel and Nick Edgar of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.
Barry Gamble, Head Chef at Chelsea Market, Glasgow and Allesandro Panella, Junior Sous Chef of One Aldwych, London were named as runners up.
The judges were extremely impressed with the excellent quality and standard of dishes on offer from the finalists, but both Jonathan’s dishes captivated the judges. He served a starter of roast woodcock on a brioche crouton with a mustard brandy sauce and main course of roast loin of roe deer, red deer ossobucco, celeriac and preserved elderberry.