Scotland’s youngest-ever Michelin-starred chef has joined a Tayside restaurant where he hopes to bring freshly foraged food to diners.
Graham Campbell, who is pledging to take Dundee’s Castlehill eatery “to the next level”, will also star on the Great British Menu tonight.
In an exclusive interview with The Courier, the 32-year-old prodigy said he was “hugely excited” to join Castlehill, which has already won widespread plaudits, including two AA rosettes.
Mr Campbell, from Oban, said: “Castlehill is certainly already the best restaurant in Dundee, but I want to make it even better.
“The restaurant looks great the owners have spent a lot of money on it and I’m really excited to get the chance to come here and take it to the next level.”
The former head chef at Ballachulish House, near Fort William, also revealed some of his plans for the new menu at the Exchange Street restaurant.
Foraging will be a key part of building his dishes, he explained and he has already begun scouting out woodlands around Dundee as a source.
“I want to bring the woods to the plate,” he said.
“I use a lot of mushrooms and wild vegetables. Every day I get up at 7am before I come into work to forage.
“It gives you a real sense of where your food comes from it offers something different and something for everybody.
“I don’t want to serve something people can prepare themselves. I want to give them something special.”
Mr Campbell, who was awarded his Michelin star in 2009 at the age of 25, said his target is to earn the Castlehill Restaurant three AA rosettes.
“Of course, it would be fantastic to get a Michelin star here and I think that’s something we could achieve, but it’s a longer term goal.
“I’d rather have a great restaurant with lots of covers serving food that customers love than a two-cover place which has a Michelin star.”
Owner Paul McMillan said he is delighted that Mr Campbell decided to join Castlehill.
He added: “We have had a great 16 months since we opened.
“I’m really excited that we have been able to attract a chef of Graham’s ability.”
Mr Campbell will begin cooking at Castlehill on Tuesday August 11.