Launched in conjunction with The Federation of Scottish Chefs, the competition attracted hundreds of entries from all over Scotland.
A live ‘cook-off’ style final takes place on Wednesday 25th November with a shortlist of six industry-leading chefs set to demonstrate how they would use sustainable Scottish trout in a healthy and enticing starter and main.
On the day, a panel of three top judges – including Ian MacDonald, Executive Chef at St Andrews Links - will scrutinise competitors’ knife skills, presentation and originality.
The six finalists and their dishes are:
● Graham Mitchell of The Rox Hotel, Aberdeen
Starter: Trout tartare with green apple, parsley, miso yaki aubergine, and Katy Rodger crème fraîche.
Main Course: Pan-seared trout, smoked salmon, peas à la Française, pea purée, parmentier potatoes, BrewDog scraps, pea shoots
● Adam Newth of The Tayberry Restaurant, Arbroath
Starter: RR. Spink & Sons smoked trout infused with Edinburgh Gin, trout tartare, brown crab potato salad, beetroot & wasabi ice cream.
Main Course: Loch Etive sea trout, sesame gnocchi, butternut squash, shrimp, and Arbroath Buckie dressing.
● Glen Yorke of The Scottish Crime Campus Sodexo, Gartcosh
Starter: RR. Spink & Sons smoked trout infused with Edinburgh Gin, cucumber jelly, plum tomato salad with lemon crème fraîche, sea salt & black pepper croute.
Main course: Seared trout on vanilla mashed potato, roasted vegetables, fennel & trout foam, artichoke purée and home-made tomato caviar.
● Michael Knowles of the Loch Melfort Hotel, Oban
Starter: Cold smoked Loch Etive trout cannelloni, smoked trout, ricotta and dill mousse. Sea aster, sea lettuce, sea scurvy grass pesto. Sea salt crumb.
Main Course: Warm terrine of Loch Etive cold smoked trout and baby spinach, squid ink tagliatelle, sun-blushed tomatoes, watercress & parsley dressing.
● Peter Kikke of The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder
Starter: Pan-fried trout with a wholegrain & Dijon mustard marinade, beetroot purée, salt-baked beetroot cubes, dill emulsion, cucumber-roasted cherry tomatoes, apple, nori, radish, wasabi peas and watercress.
Main: Pan-fried trout with Brussels sprouts & smoked bacon with burnt leek & char-grilled butternut squash, butternut squash purée, pumpkin seed dressing and shallots.
● Bob Miller of The Rox Hotel, Aberdeen
Starter: RR. Spink & Sons peat-smoked trout and kiln roast salmon with horseradish and chive panacotta, Jerusalem artichoke crisps, lemon & mustard Ola Oil, micro parsley.
Main: Scottish farmed trout, sprouts & pancetta, beet-braised salsify, celeriac mash, toasted almonds, orange & butter reduction.
The judges include Ian MacDonald, Executive Chef at St Andrews Links, David Littlewood, Masterchef of Great Britain and Scottish Chef of the Year 2013/14, and Scott Fraser, RR. Spink & Sons inhouse chef.
Arbroath-based RR. Spink & Sons hope the competition will help promote the enjoyment of sustainable fish through the creation of exciting new recipes.
The winner will be announced on Wednesday 25th November.
As well as being crowned 'Sustainable Trout Chef of the Year 2015', the winning chef will take part in a three day ‘stage’ – a three day experience absorbing new skills and knowledge from RR. Spink & Sons in house team, including time spent at Loch Etive where the company's trout is ethically farmed.
