Meet the chef: Mark Greenaway
Our quick interview with Mark Greenaway, whose Edinburgh restaurant has been awarded 3 AA Rosettes. Learn about his favourite supper to make at home, must-have ingredients and love for Scottish produce
My favourite wine is...
I'm not actually a wine man! I have the odd half of lager after shift, but tend to leave the wine drinking to my customers.
In my fridge there’s always...
A beautiful free range chicken and fresh vegetables. On my day off, there's nothing I like more than a one-pot wonder roast where all the vegetables are cooked alongside the bird, soaking up the amazing juices. So simple and minimum effort required, just perfect for a lazy day off.
And I almost forgot: coffee. There's always plenty of coffee in my fridge.
My favourite 15-minute supper to make at home is...
A decadent smoked salmon and scrambled egg bagel. 40% cream to egg ratio and a pinch of Hebridean Peat Smoked Sea Salt; so indulgent, so nice.
My guilty pleasure food is...
Great cheese. Not good for the waistline, but after a busy shift you can't beat a selection of cheese with some oatcakes.
If you gave me a tenner I’d spend it on...
Quality ingredients. It doesn't matter what they are, there isn't anything I don't like. As long as they are local, in season and fresh, I'm a happy man.
A restaurant trend I see being the next big thing is...
Getting back to basics, and by that I mean supporting the real artisanal producers. In my new cookbook, Perceptions, I champion the work and produce of these kind of people. Trends will favour flavour, rather than showy techniques.
On a Sunday I like to...
Go for a dog walk with my fiancée, Nicola. If I’m lucky, I try and not leave the house and simply relax in preparation for the week ahead.
My favourite country to visit for foodie inspiration is...
Scotland. We have so many amazing producers and our ingredients are of such quality that they are shipped all over the world. Scottish food really has come such a long way in the last decade.
What are the three most useful ingredients and why?
Sea salt. Rapeseed oil. Eggs.
When it comes to sea salt, a little really does go a long way and can make such a difference to even the humblest dish.
Cold pressed rapeseed oil is a great vehicle for showcasing flavour, as it doesn’t have a strong taste so lets the other ingredients shine through.
And lastly free range eggs. They are so versatile; can you imaging cooking without eggs? No cakes, now that would be a terrible life...
Mark opened Restaurant Mark Greenaway in February 2011, in Edinburgh. Since then, the restaurant has moved to new premises where the awards and plaudits have continued (it currently has 3 AA Rosettes).
In April 2012 he represented Scotland on BBC2’s Great British Menu and appeared again in the 2013 series Great British Menu Does Comic Relief. Mark’s signature style is desserts; a visit to Restaurant Mark Greenaway is an invitation to indulge in dessert.
Shots of Mark Greenaway provided by Coppermango Photography
You might also like
Meet the chef: Raymond Blanc interview
Comments, questions and tips
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
