Tom Kitchin, head chef at The Kitchin restaurant, is one of Scotland's most talented young chefs. He opened The Kitchin on Leith's waterfront in June 2006, with the aim of showcasing seasonal Scottish produce prepared using the techniques of classic French cookery. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in January 2007.
Tom began his career at the prestigious Gleneagles Hotel, near his childhood home in Kinross. He went on to train and work alongside some of the world's most respected chefs, including Pierre Koffmann at La Tante Claire, Guy Savoy at Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris and Alain Ducasse at the Louis XV in Monte Carlo.
The philosophy of The Kitchin is From Nature to Plate. The ingredients are always fresh and seasonal.
From the moment Tom first considered opening his restaurant, he was totally committed to using only the freshest, seasonal produce, locally sourced wherever possible. In the lead up to the restaurant's opening, Tom and wife Michaela had scoured the country, finding suppliers for fresh, seasonal produce. ‘In summer look for fresh vegetables, chilled soups, scallops and langoustines. Winter will see Scottish game such as venison, pheasant, grouse, while spring will of course feature lamb. We are never going to serve asparagus in December, or other out of season food" says Kitchin.
Tom appeared in the 2008 and the 2009 series of Great British Menu on BBC Two, representing Scotland.
