This week Jamie Scott, former MasterChef winner and chef patron of The Newport Restaurant in Newport-on-Tay, talks about the food on our doorstep
In my profession I rely heavily on two things: amazing produce and happy chefs. I have always worked in and around Fife but since opening The Newport Restaurant my eyes have really been opened as to what is readily available on our doorstep and the impact that has on our cooking, dishes, menus and my team’s enthusiasm within the kitchen.
In this industry it’s very hard or unheard of to get out of the kitchen, source your own produce and meet your suppliers face to face. Fife is the exception to this. At the beginning of each menu we are, of course, looking at seasonality, what is on offer and how creative we can be to please our customers.
Our suppliers, farmers and growers within our area are as passionate about their produce as we are about cooking with it to create an amazing dish. They are keen for us as a team to see what they have on offer seasonally, the new and inventive changes being made within the industry, and equally anything that is being underutilised.
For us it is key to build up relationships within the area to further our knowledge, understanding and most importantly see where our produce comes from.
Throughout Fife we have bountiful land for produce from fruit farms, huge varieties of vegetable growers, butchers and areas of natural foraging, both coastal and inland.
For my team within the kitchen we have taken a fresh approach and each week take time to learn more about what’s on our doorstep whether it be an existing or new supplier’s produce or what we have on offer to forage.
Chefs Tip
At this time salad and leaves are a big part of our menu. The best way to keep them fresh is to cover with a damp cloth, in a sealed tub, and refrigerate them. This will keep them crisp and vibrant longer. Salad doesn’t always have to be mixed: watercress, rocket or pea shoots, for example, can all be seasoned or dressed and make the perfect accompaniment for many dishes.
