19
new member
spotlight... who’s eating all the pies?
WeeCOOK was set up in 2011 when chef and business owner Hayley Wilkes left her job as a Sous chef in a renowned Glasgow Merchant City restaurant in order to branch out on her own as a freelance chef and caterer. After a few years working all over Scotland doing private dining, events catering, festivals, weddings, subcontracting to event companies, and working as a demo chef for farmers markets, food festivals and TV shows; WeeCOOK acquired premises at a golf club in Monifieth in Angus. During this time the WeeCOOK Kitchen restaurant was established and a year later in Feb 2017 WeeCOOK pies started selling at the Forfar Farmers market. In October 2017 WeeCOOK pies won the BBC Good Food show producers bursary award and the prize was a free stand at the Glasgow BBC good food show! The restaurant and pies business grew, the WeeCOOK apprentice won the Tayside and Courier newspapers Menu magazine ‘Rising talent/new star’ award in March 2018, and the business continued to grow very successfully. This was until the devastating news in July 2018 when the Golf club advised they would be amalgamating with the golf club next door and WeeCOOK had 5 months’ notice to vacate the premises. In December 2018 the WeeCOOK Kitchen at Broughty Golf Club closed and in January 2019 reopened one mile away in the former Bistro at the Barry Downs Holiday Park. Since the move WeeCOOK gained a bronze award from the World Scotch Pie Championships for their Vegetarian Cauliflower Bhuna Curry pie and the Investors in Young People award. The restaurant very quickly established a great reputation for its food and friendly service.
The pies continue to sell out each week not only at the restaurant but at every market or festival WeeCOOK attend with their tasty fully loaded pies! In August 2019 WeeCOOK achieved a Guild of Fine foods ‘1 star’ Great taste award for their Chicken & bacon pie. Owner and Head Chef Hayley was nominated as a rising star in the BWS Business Women Scotland awards which took place in Glasgow on 8th November! WeeCOOK believe eating out is a treat, so they aim to not only please but to exceed a little bit above what their customers expect. With the exception of the support of her dream team of now 12-15 crew and apprentices, compared to just Hayley on her own in the early days; WeeCOOK’s mission hasn’t changed. WeeCOOK continue to strive to offer proper fresh tasty food, presented with care and served with a smile to everyone.
“The pies continue to sell out
each week not only at the restaurant but at every market or festival WeeCOOK attend...”
DACC • CONNECTED | WINTER 2019
