Local produce takes its place at world’s table
Fiona Richmond is feeling optimistic about the future of Scottish fare
With spring on the horizon, it’s good to sit back and reflect on what’s gone before and what’s to come. The highs and lows, and reasons to be thankful.
I’ve been lucky to work in the Scottish food and drink sector for almost 20 years. It was a revelation when this world embraced me, and I realised how special our larder was. It’s up there with the best in the world.
Borne from a desire to champion and support local producers and their products, their traditions and heritage there have been many highlights, moments where I’ve beamed with pride at what our sector delivers.
Last February, when Scotland hosted the MICHELIN Awards Great Britain and Ireland for the very first time, that pride was stronger than ever. I’ll never forget watching some of the world’s top chefs excitedly tuck into Scottish langoustines, served by national chef Gary Maclean. Guests savoured an exceptional range of cheeses from the Fine Cheesemakers of Scotland, and the next day John Williams MBE, executive chef at Two-MICHELIN-starred The Ritz London, delivered a captivating speech praising the outstanding quality of our produce.
Hearing how much those chefs loved eating their way around the city – from Cail Bruich to Margo – felt like the ultimate validation. We know how good our food is, but when the best in the business tells you, it really means something.
Away from the glitz and glamour, there is much to admire and appreciate every day. From Orkney and Shetland to Ayrshire and Angus, our regional producers are constantly serving up course after course of inspiration. With dedicated regional food groups, we bring producers and businesses together to nurture and promote their regional food and drink through events, programmes and campaigns.
East Lothian Food and Drink’s abundant larder and talented people are celebrated in a new book, Land, Sea & Hills. Its stunning photography, with suppliers and business owners standing proud, speaks a thousand words.
Likewise, it’s also not hard to see why Eat, Drink Hebrides recently won the World Food Travel Association’s ‘Global Travel Award for Excellence in Culinary Preservation & Promotion’. On a recent visit, it was a joy to meet local suppliers at their food festival in Stornoway, their offerings ranging from mustard to coffee, venison to seafood. Not to mention the star that is The Hebridean Baker who has literally taken the world by storm with his storytelling and love for the islands and its people, produce and traditions.
Accolades abound elsewhere, too, with Scotland’s reputation for small-scale cheesemaking reinforced at the recent World Cheese Awards, where Scottish dairies – Errington Cheese and St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company – achieved outstanding results, taking home four medals from 5,200 entries.
Fife-based East Neuk Kilnhouse was crowned Supreme Champion at September’s Great Taste Awards for their hot smoked mackerel – quite an achievement to see off competition from the most highly rated products from the 14,000-plus entries.
It’s also been rewarding to help businesses develop their food and drink tourism offering in response to the growing demand for immersive, memorable experiences. From tea garden tours to oyster farm visits and tastings; venison butchery courses and immersive dining on boats, Scotland is leading the way on food tourism.
At the start of this new year, we can also look back on a recent milestone.
New figures show that Scotland’s food and drink sector is now valued at a record £19 billion. It’s a staggering number, but what matters most is what sits behind it. Our thousands of producers, makers, growers and innovators whose hard work, dedication and creativity is fuelling not just our economy and our people, but the identity of our nation.
None of this comes easily, of course, and there are lows as well as highs. But what our sector shows, time after time, is resilience and determination. Producers keep going. They adapt and they evolve.
For all these reasons, it feels right to raise a glass to our remarkable businesses and all that they do to bring such quality food and drink to our tables.
As the months ahead unfold, think local and Scottish when planning meals with family and friends. Seek out a food or drink experience you’ve never tried before. And you can be assured that we, with our colleagues and partners, will do all we can to ensure that Scotland’s produce, and the people behind it, continue to thrive and gain the recognition they so deserve.
Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food at Scotland Food & Drink
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.