Andrew Fairlie Scholarship Finalists 2025
The finalists have been announced for the 2025 Andrew Fairlie Scholarship!
The five shortlisted applicants will compete at the Grand Final on 25 November 2025 for the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience, which will see the winner gain first-hand experience within some of the world’s most renowned culinary establishments.
Considered the ultimate education for aspiring chefs in Scotland, the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship was spearheaded by the late Andrew Fairlie to inspire and upskill fresh hospitality talent. The Scholarship was officially launched in 2019 in partnership with HIT Scotland, an organisation with which Fairlie had close links, and continues to be supported by the charity, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Perth College UHI and The Gleneagles Hotel.
Held over two years, the 2025 Andrew Fairlie Scholarship winner will be taken on a two-day educational trip to France with Grande Cuisine, undertake a stage at the 3-star Core by Clare Smyth in London, and gain practical experience at the 2-star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles. They will also receive a bespoke chef’s jacket from Goodfellows as a keepsake of the experience.
The exposure to some of the finest chefs and establishments the world has to offer will accelerate the scholar’s professional development and abilities, advancing their passion and career path.
The five chosen applicants vying for this money-can’t-buy experience are
Taking place on Tuesday, 25 November at Perth College UHI, the Grand Final will put the chefs’ skills to the test through a series of culinary challenges, with a presentation to the winner taking place at The Gleneagles Hotel shortly after.
Those shortlisted for the 2025 scholarship will be asked to cook and serve a seasonal two-course meal that they created for the written part of the application. The first course was to include homemade pasta containing plump Shetland mussels and another Scottish bivalve of their choice, with a gluten-free dessert focussing on high-quality dark chocolate and poached pear. Details of a second surprise test will be shared shortly before the Grand Final.
An all-star panel of the UK’s finest chefs will judge the 2025 competition. Led by Stephen McLaughlin, Head Chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Sat Bains, Chef Patron at Restaurant Sat Bains and Gary Maclean, the Winner of MasterChef The Professionals and National Chef of Scotland, they will assess the finalists’ technical ability, creativity, and passion to make the final decision.
“Now in its sixth year, the scholarship proudly continues the extraordinary legacy left by Andrew Fairlie, empowering emerging culinary talent with exceptional industry opportunities to elevate their careers and unlock their full potential.
We were highly impressed by the quantity and quality of applications from across Scotland, making the selection process more competitive than ever. With the final five now chosen, those shortlisted must pull out all the stops to wow the judging panel and secure their place as the 2025 Andrew Fairlie Scholar. Wishing all the finalists the very best of luck for the 25th of November!”
“We had an incredibly high calibre of chefs applying for this year’s Andrew Fairlie Scholarship, and we have managed to whittle it down to 5.
Each chef has submitted a highly detailed and passion filled application - they have created dishes that we all wanted to eat.
I look forward to watching them recreate and serve these dishes at the Final skills test, along with another seasonal challenge which we’ll announce nearer the time. Congratulations to the finalists, and I look forward to seeing you all at the Final.”
Meet the Finalists - Fraser Hobday
Senior Sous Chef, Entier
Where are you from originally, where did you grow up and where do you live now?
Originally, I was born in Luton, and we lived in Bedfordshire. We moved up to Scotland when I was three, to a farmhouse on an estate called Rickarton just outside the coastal town of Stonehaven. I spent the next 22 years living with my family until I moved out to another small coastal town called Portlethen, just slightly south of Aberdeen where I currently stay with my wife and daughter.
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
Education and progression. Knowing the size and meaning of the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship through working closely with former employee of Andrews Fairlie’s, Orry Shand and previous scholar Andrew Clark enlightened me that this was what I wanted to dedicate my time to achieving, allowing me the potential opportunity to stagier at extremely reputable Michelin star restaurants and an educational trip to enhance my food knowledge. Having the chance to present my dishes in front of this year’s judges, is something I am extremely grateful for.
Have you always wanted to be a chef, what made you choose this career?
Yes, my passion for food and cookery have always been very strong. Cooking at home alongside my mum from a young age using fresh produce from the garden and foraging from the woodlands ignited my desire to follow a career as a professional chef so it felt very natural for me to choose this path.
What do you love about working as a chef?
I love working with new and fresh ingredients, allowing me to practise preparation and cooking techniques that will bolster my skill set and knowledge. Another reason, in my current role, we provide roughly 1000 meals a day to local nurseries. Ensuring the children and the future of Aberdeen and shire have a varied and nutritious meal for their lunch gives me great satisfaction daily. I am extremely passionate about the nutrition of my daughter, and she inspires me every day to take the same mentality to work.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why?
Simple. High quality, fresh free-range eggs, whole, whites or yolks. So versatile and can be used in many dishes I enjoy making. Whether that be for breakfast, scrambled, poached, fried or omelette. Used for baking, many desserts, a crème anglaise, maybe a fresh emulsion or even in some Yorkshire puddings for a Sunday roast. My favourite way to utilise them are in a batch of fresh pasta at home when cooking for family.
What are your hopes for your future career as a chef?
I feel this is just the beginning of my journey. After competing and winning NECOTY it has driven me to continue and progress myself down the competition route for now. Being reliable and consistent as possible in my current role is very important to me, but additionally with this comes the need to further educate myself, get out of my comfort zone and grow. This requires me to complete stages, travel on as many educational trips as possible and eat in places that inspire me. One day, I hope this leads to opening my own hospitality venue.
Meet the Finalists - Gary McNamara
Head Chef, Crossbasket Castle
Where are you from originally, where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I was born in England and moved to Scotland when I was 7 years old. To a small town called Bo'ness where I lived for 15+ years, now I live in Bonnybridge.
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
I’ve always told myself I should go for these scholarships when I heard about them, but I never really got the push from anyone until now, with my Executive Chef Kevin. He has seen something in me, said he thinks that I have the abilty, I just needed the push!
Have you always wanted to be a chef, what made you choose this career?
To be honest, no I didn’t want to be a chef! I really wanted to be a PE teacher, but I never followed it though. I’ve always enjoyed cooking though. When I could I would always help my gran in the kitchen, peeling the carrots and potatoes, and making my gran’s yorkies and a dessert for Sunday roast.
I believe the career choose me in a way as I stuggled to get into a kitchen as a young boy from school with no experience. I was lucky that my first Head Chef was taking on a new restaurant and wanted a fresh commis to teach, and he had a few chats with my mum who was cutting his hair! So my journey in this trade began.
What do you love about working as a chef?
It’s the enjoyment of putting your all into a dish that has been crafted by your mind and hands, to see and hear customers talking about your food, and be amazed with how something so simple could be transformed into a memory lasting dish. This gives me my love for being a chef.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why?
I love cooking with all that I can get my hands on. But my favourite has to be scallops and venison. Two things that on their own, hold their own, but if given the right ingredients these items become just simply amazing.
What are your hopes for your future career as a chef?
My hope is to either contine with this path and develop to become an Executive Chef, or even become my own boss and run a small 30 cover restaurant, only using the best produce that I can get in that season.
Meet the Finalists - Jay McLeish
Chef de Partie, Schloss Roxburghe Hotel
Where are you from originally, where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I’m originally from Edinburgh and have always lived here, still do to this day.
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
I applied for the scholarship mainly for the experience but also for the chance to win an opportunity of a lifetime to become an even better chef.
Have you always wanted to be a chef, what made you choose this career?
I honestly got into this career by accident. My first job in a “kitchen” was at IKEA and I just fell in love with the environment. I decided to continue with this career as I discovered a deep passion for food and I had a drive to make a name for myself.
What do you love about working as a chef?
I personally love being able to make food the guest will go on to tell their family and friends about and will be a core memory for them. I also love the close knit family feeling you get with the people you work with.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why?
My favourite ingredient has got to be anything Fish. Fish has so much variety and if sourced correctly it can be absolutely wonderful. Everywhere in the world has its own unique way of using it and that’s what makes it so interesting for me.
What are your hopes for your future career as a chef?
In the near future I would like to begin travelling abroad to gain as much knowledge of different aspects of cooking and cuisines to help me later on in my career. I would love to someday be able to open a place of my own and be able to share my experiences and knowledge with anyone I work with.
Meet the Finalists - Michael Sutherland
Junior Sous Chef, Gleneagles
Where are you from originally, where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I grew up on a small island on the west coast called Cumbrae in a town called Millport, I now live in Blackford with my girlfriend Finola and our daughter Isla.
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
After taking part in last year’s Andrew Fairlie Scholarship and reaching the Final, I knew straight away that it was something that I wanted to do again.
Have you always wanted to be a chef, what made you choose this career?
I originally trained as a marine engineer and didn't start working as a chef until I was in my early 20s. I grew up in and around hospitality, with my dad being a chef and my mum opening a restaurant when I was a teenager, so I think it was always something I was bound to do.
What do you love about working as a chef?
What I love about kitchens and working as a chef is the buzz and energy. That 30 minutes before a busy service when everyone is focused, checking mise en place and setting up sections is almost addictive. I love the teaching side of the kitchen as well, both from learning from other people and also getting to pass that knowledge forward onto the chefs just coming into the kitchen and starting out their careers.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why?
Potatoes would probably be one of my favorite ingredients. From one ingredient there are countless dishes and ways to prepare it, nothing really beats a perfect roast potato. Fish would be one of my other favorites to cook with. I like the focus you need to cook with fish since no two pieces cook quite the same.
What are your hopes for your future career as a chef?
For my future career I want to continue to develop my skills and techniques and learn as much as I can. Passing this knowledge onto the next generation of chefs is something that is also very important to me.
Meet the Finalists - Sandeep Satheesan
Junior Sous Chef, Kimpton Blythswood Square
Where are you from originally, where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I’m originally from India but spent the first half of my life growing up in the Middle East. I later returned to India to complete my schooling and college. After several years working in Dubai, I moved to Glasgow two years ago, which has been home ever since
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
When I first moved to the UK, I was based in Birmingham while my wife was in Glasgow, and I was looking to relocate here. During that time, as we researched places of true culinary caliber in Scotland, I came across Restaurant Andrew Fairlie. The more I learned about Andrew Fairlie’s history, his philosophy, and what the scholarship represents, the more I felt drawn to it.
When the applications opened and my Head Chef Sean mentioned it, I didn’t think twice — I knew I had to apply. On a personal level, this scholarship represents a chance to step out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and overcome the fear of something entirely new.
Have you always wanted to be a chef, what made you choose this career?
I’ve always been passionate about cooking, but coming from a family where most people are engineers or doctors, choosing hospitality wasn’t easy. At first, my family was hesitant, especially since there weren’t many Indian chefs who had made it internationally. Instead of discouraging me, that became my inspiration — to be someone young people could look up to in this profession. When my family saw how much joy and fulfillment this path gave me, their support grew, reinforcing my choice to become a chef.
What do you love about working as a chef?
What I love most about being a chef is that it constantly pushes me to grow — to do better than I did yesterday. The kitchen humbles you, challenges you, and rewards you all at once. There’s a deep satisfaction in knowing that every day, through repetition and reflection, you’re sharpening your craft and understanding yourself a little more. Cooking has become more than a profession for me — it’s a journey of discipline, creativity, and self-discovery.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why?
One ingredient I’ve really enjoyed working with in Scotland is mackerel. It’s such a versatile fish — bold in flavor, beautiful when handled with care, and adaptable to so many techniques, from curing and smoking to grilling or lightly pickling. It’s also great value for the GP, which makes it both a creative and smart choice in the kitchen.
What are your hopes for your future career as a chef?
My hope for the future is to continue learning from some of the most inspiring kitchens in this country and use those experiences to shape my own voice as a chef. I want to build something that reflects both excellence and empathy — a kitchen where creativity, respect, and mentorship thrive side by side. Ultimately, I want to help move the industry forward and leave it stronger, kinder, and more inspiring than when I first stepped into it.