Andy Booth-McCabe of The Esslemont

My dad was in the RAF so we travelled around and lived in different countries. Growing up, food was always new and exciting with lots of variety which gave me the passion for food. Naturally, that led to a love of cooking and then a career in kitchens. I’ve worked in all types of establishments from small family run places to large corporate outlets.

My wife Gilliann is a chef too, but we don’t work together. We have three kids, so life is always busy. Mealtimes are where we all stop and come together. So whether it’s in the garden having BBQs or trying new dishes with the kids helping out, it’s real family time. Like a lot of dads, I’m a huge BBQ fan, but not of cremated sausages that are still raw inside! I like to smoke my own meats and make my own marinades.

At the Esslemont, we like to try new things and aren’t scared to mix things up and test out new flavour combinations. For the menu, we usually try out some recipes and then we will do a full tasting with the managers and directors to see what works and what will be suitable for the menu. This a really important step for the menu as we want to be confident that not only the dish tastes delicious but we try out different presentation so it also looks pleasing on the plate.

‘The food here is focussed on fresh, local produce with a foundation of good home cooking.’

I love working at the Esslemont. I get to be creative and adventurous with new ingredients and flavours. Last year we launched a new selection of Scottish inspired tapas dishes which have proved to be very popular. Guests can either share a selection or simply just enjoy one as a starter followed by one of our hearty seasonal mains, like our Baked Monkfish. Fish is always really popular in the restaurant

The food here is focussed on fresh, local produce with a foundation of good home cooking. We aim to use as much local and Scottish ingredients as possible with everything freshly cooked on a daily basis.

The location of the Esslemont is a highlight, too – being located in the heart of the city centre on Union Street in aniconic building. It can be fast paced so it’s thrilling and challenging. The only downside is that there’s no sunshine in the kitchen, but then again Aberdeen can be four seasons in one day!

As well as the fabulous building that’s soaked in history and a great team both in the kitchen and front of house, I like the atmosphere. The feel of the place is homely. The food is family friendly with local produce at the heart and there is something on the menu for everyone.

Alongside our main menu, we have also recently launched a new monthly Saturday event called the Saturday Spritz Social which offers guests a selection of tapas dishes alongside hand crafted cocktails and live music from local acts which works perfectly in our stylish venue. The events are proving to be very popular with dates sold out already which is fantastic to see.