In a Nutshell, Richard Dalgleish: ‘I once made a club sandwich for Kylie Minogue’

Richard Dalgleish, Estate Executive Sous Chef at Gleneagles, grew up in the small Midlothian town of Penicuik and first sparked his interest in cooking by watching his uncle. He started his career as a kitchen porter at his local pub before going on to The Balmoral in Edinburgh where he was part of the team that achieved the Michelin star for Number One.

Richard will be attending this year’s Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Scottish Game Fair, which takes place from 4-6 July at Scone Palace in Perthshire. 

What’s the closest thing you have to a signature dish: 

At home, my go-to dish is Scottish wild mushroom risotto with a runny poached egg.

Describe your style of cuisine in ten words: 

I really enjoy creating simple dishes, built on great technique and exceptional ingredients.

Best and/or most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten:

Dinner at L’Enclume – unforgettable from start to finish.

Worst/weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten: 

Elephant biltong at Kruger National Park.

What’s the dish that you’re most proud of having cooked: 

I once made a club sandwich for Kylie Minogue.

Favourite ingredient:

Violet artichokes, fresh wet garlic and Anjou squab pigeon.

Your go-to recipe book: 

On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee.

What other country’s cuisine really excites and intrigues you:

Indian cuisine – specifically mastering the balance of spices in a dish.

Most you’ve ever paid for a meal: 

€950 for lunch for two at Konstantin Filippou in Vienna.

Your favourite Scottish chef: 

Mark Donald.

Favourite chef outside Scotland: 

Aaron Middleton.

Who taught you to cook or ignited your passion for food as a youngster: 

My Uncle William.

Most important lesson a young chef can learn: 

Learning how to cook your onions, and building resilience. 

Culinary mentor – the most important person in your development as a professional chef: 

Gary Jones.

Best thing about the industry:

Ambitious young chefs, kitchen camaraderie, and the people you meet along the way.

Worst thing about the industry: 

The way kitchens are misrepresented in TV and film.

What’s the biggest sin a chef can commit: 

Wasting food unnecessarily.

What do you eat when you’re at home: 

Homemade spelt sourdough toast with unsalted butter.

Tell me a something about you that virtually no-one knows: 

I was vice captain of my high school rugby team.

What’s your favourite wine? 

Pinot Noir.

Your spirit of choice? 

Talisker Malt Whisky.

Do you play music in the kitchen and, if so, what’s your go-to track or artist: 

In the kitchen: Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia.

At home: Rolling Stones, Let it Bleed.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be:

A ballroom dancer.

Celebrity guest or your perfect dinner party – who would you most like to cook for: 

Anthony Bourdain, Sturgill Simpson, and Keith Richards.  

Tell me a something about you that your customers won’t know: 

I was a finalist for European Apprentice Chef of the year 2003!  

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