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Head Chef James McMahon shares the inspiration behind his food

In Lairg in the Scottish Highlands, James has headed up the kitchen at the acclaimed Pier Cafe for six years.

“My fi rst job out of school was a kitchen porter in a castle in the Highlands. I kind of fell into actual cooking, though, after seeing the food the chefs were making. It was mesmerising to see, and I was hooked! I wanted to learn as much as possible.

“I’m now 14 years in to being a chef and love working at The Pier. It’s a very welcoming and homely place which is set in an amazing location, right on Loch Shin. You can see the views on my Instagram. We serve modern food to suit every palate and diet.

“I’d describe my cooking style as modern European. Marcus Wareing, Michel Roux Jr and Mark Hix are huge infl uences. I draw a lot of inspiration from the seasons when ingredients are at their peak. We also use as much local produce as possible – delicious wild garlic and langoustines have been on the menu recently!

“My go-to ingredient and absolute favourite is venison. I also love coff ee, but maybe that’s more of an addiction than a favourite…!”

Follow @jimmer_mcmahon

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