Sponsored jointly by HIT Scotland, the Scottish Government and Gleneagles, where Fairlie ran his two Michelin-starred restaurant, the Fairlie Scholarship is being positioned as ‘the ultimate scholarship any aspiring chef could receive’ and will be awarded annually to a male and female chef in honour of Fairlie’s commitment to diversity in the kitchen.
The scholarship, run through HIT Scotland, will recognise two outstanding individuals ‘who are forging ahead with their culinary career’ and either studying and/or working in Scotland. The recipients will gain industry-wide recognition as Fairlie Scholars and experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as a practical stage in an international kitchen, a placement at the Culinary Institute of America and at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles.
Michelin star chef Tom Kerridge will be involved in the judging process for the scholarship, alongside MasterChef winner and National Chef of Scotland Gary McLean. The panel of judges will also include Stephen McLaughlin, head chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Gleneagles’ general manager Conor O’Leary, HIT Scotland chief executive David Cochrane and representation from the Scottish Government. More Michelin star chefs are to be confirmed as judges in the future.
Fairlie passed away in January after losing his battle with a terminal brain tumour.
“Andrew Fairlie was taken from us far too soon. Yet his contribution – to the food industry, and to Scotland – will always be remembered. And we are determined to ensure that his legacy endures,” says Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
“That’s why the Scottish Government, the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland and Gleneagles Hotel are creating an Andrew Fairlie Scholarship. Andrew and his wife Kate were involved in developing the scholarship. Our hope is that it will help to inspire the next generation of world class chefs in this country. As a result, it will benefit Scotland’s food and drink industry.
“And it will also be a fitting and lasting tribute to the life and achievements of Andrew Fairlie.”
“In a world where honesty, integrity and sheer hard work to achieve success are not always apparent, Andrew Fairlie summed up these qualities in abundance and influenced many chefs locally, nationally and internationally,” says Cochrane.
“What will make the Fairlie Scholarship so unique to Scotland is the fact that it will be awarded annually to two chefs in Scotland - one male and one female. This reflects the huge amount of work that Andrew has championed over the years to ensure gender equality in his kitchen and the industry at large.”
“We are hugely appreciative to Andrew Fairlie for paving the way for aspiring chefs to work in inclusive and diverse kitchens and believe the Fairlie Scholarship will provide a huge opportunity for future talent in our industry in Scotland.”
To apply, potential candidates are required to complete an online application stating why they feel they should win The Fairlie Scholarship, this will then be followed by a shortlist of interviewees then a skills test would then follow to establish key skills that would be expected of a Fairlie Scholar.
Eligible applicants can find out more information by visiting https://hitscotland.co.uk/scholarships/.
