Caterer and Hotelkeeper 100: Martin Wishart, Restaurant Martin Wishart
Overall ranking: 97 (NEW ENTRY)
Chef ranking: 34 (NEW ENTRY)
Martin Wishart - Snapshot
The owner of Edinburgh's first Michelin-starred restaurant Restaurant Martin Wishart, he also runs a cookery school, another eponymous restaurant at De Vere Group's Cameron House hotel on Loch Lomond, and is due to open a second restaurant, The Honours, in Edinburgh imminently.
Martin trained under renowned chefs including Albert Roux, Michel Roux Jnr, Marco Pierre White, Nick Nairn, John Burton Race, Marc Meneau and Charlie Trotter.
During his career he has travelled around the world, working in Australia, the USA and across Europe. In New York he was invited to cook at the James Beard Foundation and experienced the kitchens of Per-Se, Daniel Boulud and the Bernadin. In Holland he worked with Lucas Rive from the two-Michelin-starred restaurant De Bokkedoorns and Jonnie Boer from the three-Michelin-starred restaurant De Librije.
Martin Wishart opened his eponymous restaurant in Edinburgh's Port of Leith in 1999 and it became the first restaurant in the city to get a Michelin star in 2001. He has subsequently opened his Cook School and new restaurant at Cameron House Hotel on Loch Lomond and is set to open the Honours this summer.
In 2006 Martin participated in the Rencontres Internationals de la Gastronomie, while late last year he was named the AA's Chef's chef of the year 2010-2011.
Martin Wishart - What we think
Wishart is clearly a chef whose star is on the rise. His plethora of awards from both chefs and the dining public alike show he is respected by his contemporaries and adored by his customers.
Since opening his first restaurant, it has become known as one of the UK's most acclaimed dining venues, having retained its Michelin star as well as four AA rosettes, 8/10 in the Good Food Guide and being named the UK's favourite restaurant by Toptable for the second year running.
The opening of the Honours will be an interesting challenge for Wishart, who plans a more brasserie-style approach with a bakery and private dining room also thrown into the mix. If it works, he hopes to roll out the concept further. Given the public response to his restaurants so far, he's got everything going for him.
His chef peers are backing him for further success too, after a recent visit, Gordon Ramsay stated Wishart was, "Scotland's next big thing, no question" and former employer Marco Pierre White has even tipped him for two Michelin stars.
Scottish restaurants head Toptable top 100 >>
Minute on the Clock with Martin Wishart >>
Michelin-starred Martin Wishart to launch second restaurant >>
