Jamie for MasterChef S22 Heat 5 / BBC
Age: 33
Job: Senior Product Manager
From: Glasgow
How would you describe your cooking style?
“I’m passionate about seasonal cooking and championing the best of Scottish produce. I particularly appreciate contemporary Scottish cuisine, but I love cooking cuisines from all over the world, just using local seasonal produce where possible.
“At home I’m a pretty relaxed and intuitive cook. I consult recipes, especially if I’m trying something new or working on pastry, but I prefer to cook instinctively rather than procedurally.
“I like to cook with alcohol too and not just wine. Scotland produces the best whisky in the world, obviously, but also great beer, rum, gin, cider and so on. Finding the balance is tricky but I believe it’s an important part of our larder. Plus, the taste tests are a nice perk for the chef.”
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with?
“Butter, unfortunately. It just lifts everything it touches and it’s hard to imagine basting and browning without it, never mind how instrumental it is in pastry. It’s not right for every cuisine or circumstance but a life without butter would be sad indeed. I think Scottish butter is up there with Irish and French.”
Why did you take part in the show?
“It has been an aspiration for years to enter and this was the year where I finally felt prepared enough to give it a go, and I had some time to really commit to the filming. I wanted to push myself, meet some kindred spirits, and learn from the best.”
Would you like to work professionally in the food industry?
“One day I’d love to run a boutique hotel in the Scottish Highlands. A destination restaurant with a small number of covers and a gorgeous whisky bar with a roaring fire. In the meantime, I’ve started work on a contemporary Scottish cookbook and a foodie travel guide to Scotland. I hope to show people the depth and breadth of what Scotland has to offer across our produce, landscapes, and communities.”
MasterChef continues on BBC One and iPlayer.
