Scottish catering and hospitality news in Scotland

Main Event launches its inaugural show on 28th February 2008 at the SECC Glasgow. The best of Scotland's event community will gather to offer offer inspiration to event-buyers who produce and manage events in Scotland.

Exhibitors at The Main Event range from venues such as House for an Art Lover and Winton House to catering companies such as Sodexo Prestige and Wilde Thyme.

The one-day show will also feature a Main Event Bar and the Main Event Theatre (with MCL) which will allow buyers of all levels to hear, learn and ask questions about the various sections of their job.

The next stage of the KNORR National Chef of the Year 2008 competition is underway, with the announcement of the 40 chefs who will now go forward to compete in semi-finals around the country.

The winner of each semi-final heat, together with the highest scoring three runners-up, will compete against each other in the Grand Final at The Restaurant Show on 7th October. The overall winner will be crowned KNORR National Chef of the Year 2008 at a gala Awards event and presented with his £10,000 prize money.

The Scottish entrants who have made it through to the final round are:

Brian Canale, Heritage Portfolio Ltd, Edinburgh
David Hunt, Sodexho, Scotland and Ireland
Ross Murray, Dunblane Hydro Hotel, Dunblane
Yoram Odentz, SMH, Aberdeen
Lee Pattie, Golf View Hotel, Nairn
David Ward, Hamden Park, Glasgow

The eight finalists for the Scottish Food Scholarship 2008 were announced yesterday following two semi-finals today in Edinburgh.

The culinary talent chosen for the final includes:


Vladimirs Kruus from Radisson SAS, Edinburgh

Paula McEwen from The Witchery, Edinburgh

Yvonne Noon from Lynnet Leisure, Glasgow

Jamie Wakeford from De Vere Cameron House, Loch Lomond

Lesley McQuiston from Lochgreen House Hotel, Troon

Duncan Campbell from The Lime Tree An Ealdhain, Fort William

Ross Cochrane from Howies Restaurant, Aberdeen

Andrew Field from Old Course Hotel, St Andrews

Inaugurated in 2006, the Scottish Food Scholarship is a national competition open to young chefs aged 18-25 years. The winner carries out a series of internships, working with some of the best in the food and catering world, including an internship with Martin Wishart at his eponymous Restaurant Martin Wishart and Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles.

The final will take place at Martin Wishart's Cook School in Edinburgh on Monday 3rd March, followed by an awards dinner that night at the George Hotel, Edinburgh.

Visit www.scottishfoodscholarship.co.uk for more information on the competition.