Food and Drink

In celebration of Scottish poet and writer Robert Burns’s Birthday (25th January), Burns Night takes place this week. Falling on Wednesday, a great number of Burns Night events are taking place across the week to celebrate. From Scottish-inspired set menus to whisky tastings and the occasional deep-fried Mars bar, here’s our pick of the best food and drink events to celebrate Burns Night in London. Mac & Wild One of London’s best Scottish restaurants, Mac & Wild will host a whole...

With Burns Night fast approaching, this week’s recipe is quintessentially Scottish, yet it’s a million miles away from traditional haggis, neeps and tatties. Graced with such an astonishing natural larder, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Scotland has direct access to some of the globe’s finest sea food. So what better restaurant to provide a recipe than Edinburgh’s Ondine? These scallops from Chef Patron Roy Brett are relatively simple to prepare at home and make for an impressive starter or light...

It’s a tremendous shame that British food has gained such an internationally dreadful reputation, yet it’s hardly surprising. Alongside a bland curry originally made from gravy, yogurt and tinned soup, the Sunday Roast stands out as one of our most prominent national dishes. Generally served as a late lunch, with portion sizes vast enough to see us through to the following weekend, the roast dinner is essentially a collation of ingredients slung into the oven then left for at least...

Although the national population is comparatively small, Scotland remains the world’s most popular nation for whisky production. With over 100 active distilleries, the country is divided into five different whisky-making regions – Campbeltown, Islay, Speyside, Highland and Lowland. In the north of the country, it’s the Highlands that’s the nation’s largest region in terms of both area and production. Founded during the late 1700s, Balblair Distillery operates from a site in Edderton (close to the Glenmorangie and Dalmore distilleries) and...

A food wrap made using shellfish could end up in every kitchen in the world, save millions for the food sector and slash pollution, it has been claimed. The wrap is made using discarded langoustine shells taken from Scotland's huge seafood sector. Developers CuanTec say that the material will kill bugs, extend shelf life and eventually biodegrade without a trace. Scientists hope the new food wrapping will replace cling film commonly used in the food industry and at home. The...

Here's a story about cooking for an independently wealthy Young Gentleman and his gang of friends. To protect the innocent, the guilty and myself, nothing I tell you will be quite true. As your secret chef I have spent two decades being a private chef for High Net Worth (HNW) and Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) clients all over Europe and on super yachts. What I have become experienced at is keeping secrets and cheffing. Here is what I remember...

With more than a quarter of a million Scottish people now living in London or the South East it's safe to say that Burns night has become quite a big thing in the capital, and sourcing the best restaurants to enjoy the evening is paramount. With whisky on the mind and Balmoral chicken, haggis, neeps and tatties making mouths water across the city we have set out to find out where to locate the best Scottish restaurants in London, as well as providing a...

Strength: 6.7% ABV Brewed: Tottenham Hale, London Named after the old Cockney name given to the De Beauvoir area of London, where the brand was born in 2011, Beavertown Brewery now operates from a site in Tottenham Hale. Having upgraded to a premises with a 50HL Brew House to work from, Beavertown has become renowned for crafting a core range of stunning beers, as well as some more adventurous seasonal offerings. In addition, the brewery also asserts some of the most striking label visuals...

With an entire population smaller than that of just London, it’s easy to forget that Scotland exports an outstanding percentage of the world’s food and drink produce. Figures published by the Scottish Government show the nation’s food and drink sector hit a record high of £14.3 billion in 2013, with the £12.5 billion turnover target for 2017 surpassed in 2011. Indeed, there’s far more to Scottish cuisine than haggis, whisky and battered Mars bars. Unlike London, Scotland’s capital city is...