Chef Lorna McNee, protégé of the late two Michelin starred chef, Andrew Fairlie and Great British Menu’s “Champion of Champions” 2019 has taken up her first head chef role at Glasgow’s Cail Bruich restaurant.
Lorna’s appointment marks a big move for both the chef and the three AA Rosette restaurant as co-owner Chris Charalambous steps away from the hot plate for the first time since the restaurant opened in 2008; the same year that Lorna joined Restaurant Andrew Fairlie as an apprentice. Since then she has worked her way up the sections to her final position there as sous chef, latterly under Stevie McLaughlin. Along the way Lorna has made her mark on the Scottish culinary scene collecting a host of awards and accolades including Game Chef of the Year (2016), Scottish Chef of the Year (2017) and in 2019 was crowned the winner of the BBC’s Great British Menu competition.
Lorna’s decision to join the 28-cover restaurant was influenced by its style of cooking; the strong front of house team, which is headed up by GM and ex Martin Wishart restaurant manager, Chris Donnachie and the opportunity it offered for her to make her own mark on the menu. Lorna creates elegant plates of food that make the most of Scotland’s seasonally changing ingredients prepared with respect and a lightness of touch. Dishes on her inaugural menus include: West coast crab, raw Orkney scallop, citrus; Hand rolled pasta, broad beans, girolles, truffle; Scrabster turbot, kohlrabi, pork sauce and Lake District Herdwick lamb, graffiti aubergine, miso, olive, earl grey.
On joining Cail Bruich Lorna has said:
“The time was right for me to forge my own path and step up to a head chef role and I am delighted that Paul and Chris have given me the opportunity to run the kitchen at their fantastic restaurant. I have long been a fan of Cail Bruich so for me this is very exciting. Leaving Stevie and the team at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie was hard but I am looking forward to bringing together my own team and for what the future brings in Glasgow.”
Paul Charalambous, co-owner of Cail Bruich added:
“This is an exciting new phase for Cail Bruich and for Glasgow’s restaurant scene. We’ve followed Lorna’s career and are thrilled that she has chosen to work with us on the next stage of her journey. We are really looking forward to seeing what comes out of her kitchen and to be able to introduce it to customers old and new.”
Cail Bruich is open for lunch (Thursday – Saturday 12-1.30pm) and dinner (Wednesday – Saturday 6.30 – 9pm.) At lunchtime there is a six-course tasting menu available for £60pp and a three course a la carte menu for £35pp. At dinner the offering is a four course la carte menus for £65 and a nine- course tasting menu for £90 with wine pairings available at both lunch and dinner.
Cail Bruich, 725 Great Western Rd, Glasgow, Lanarkshire G12 8QX
For bookings call 0141 334 6265 or visit www.cailbruich.co.uk e: info@cailbruich.co.uk
@CailBruich