The Scottish Restaurant Awards ceremony in Glasgow on Monday night produced winners in fourteen categories. Every category is important but special mention must go to the Chef of the Year award which was won by Jeff Bland, Executive Chef at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh.
This award was started to recognise the skills and dedication of individuals who have boosted the reputation and standing of Scotland’s restaurant scene over the years. It is awarded to chefs who have acted as ambassadors for Scottish food and who have helped develop the talents of other chefs.
Unlike the other categories, this award wasn’t based on restaurant visits but was the result of a long discussion between several industry experts including several of Scotland’s top chefs. Jeff Bland was the worthy winner.
This is what he had to say about his win:
‘It’s a great honour to be named Chef of the Year by a panel of judges who are experts on the food industry in Scotland. I take great pride in my role as Executive Chef at The Balmoral – from developing menus and innovative dishes to training new chefs and championing seasonal Scottish produce – it means a great deal to be recognised by my peers for this.’
Jeff joined Rocco Forte’s The Balmoral in June 1997 as Executive Chef and is currently responsible for a team of 36 chefs, spread over four restaurants and bars outlets including Hadrian’s Brasserie, The Bollinger Bar at Palm Court, The Balmoral Bar and fine-dining restaurant number one – now firmly established as one of Edinburgh’s top Michelin star restaurants.
The Balmoral’s General Manager, Franck Arnold, commented on the award:
‘We are extremely proud of Chef Jeff Bland being named Scotland ’s Chef of the Year for 2012. This well-deserved title is recognition for his passion and enthusiasm to provide our guests and visitors with a memorable five-star dining experience.
‘Since joining The Balmoral 15 years ago, Jeff has been instrumental in the success of our food and banqueting operations – most notably, in taking our fine-dining restaurant, number one, from strength to strength. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his dedication and hard work over the past 15 years.’