A talented teenage chef from Fife is preparing to take up an apprenticeship at the Savoy Hotel in London.
Auchmuty High School pupil Conor McLean (15), from Coaltown of Balgonie, recently won ITV’s Britain’s Best Dish competition, earning himself the coveted post. He was also presented with a cheque for £10,000 at the final.
Conor began exploring his culinary abilities with the help of Adam Smith College chef lecturer Scott Lyall, through the Future Chef programme.
The initiative was held at the college where he was able to demonstrate his natural culinary abilities, and soon after made his way to the final of Springboard UK Future Chef National Competition in February 2010, where was second out of 8000 entrants.
In May this year he went on to win the title of Britain’s Best Dish in London for his dessert creation, vanilla friande, which now features on the menu at the Savoy. The delicacy is made with amaretto cream, fromage blanc sorbet and blueberry compote.
The ambitious teen described the Savoy offer as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”
“Winning the show was amazing and has made me want to open my own restaurant, Michelin stars, the lot,” he said.
Having started cooking at the age of 12, Conor honed his skills at an after-school club run by Adam Smith College.
When asked who inspired him Conor paid tribute to home economics teacher Janice Scott. He said he is also grateful to his gran, who he described as a “great cook” and Scott Lyall, chef lecturer at Adam Smith College, for his one-to-one mentoring through the Future Chef Clubs.
Conor is set to travel to London towards the end of the year, where he will follow the hotel’s apprenticeship scheme run in conjunction with Westminster College.
Savoy general manager Kiaran MacDonald has already told Conor he has a “tremendous future.”
Mr MacDonald added, “We’d love that future to be at the Savoy.”
Conor’s mum Jacqui said, “It’s unbelievable and really exciting. The Savoy is the ultimate place to be.”