In A Nutshell, Neil Paterson: ‘I ate fermented shark meat in Iceland once – I can’t possibly comprehend how anyone could enjoy it’

Born in the Scottish Highlands, Neil Paterson’s career in hospitality began by accident as he took a second job as a kitchen porter while working as a snowboard instructor in the Alps. After opening a restaurant in Berlin he moved back to Scotland and in 2024 co-founded Arete, a culinary service specialising in bespoke dining experiences across the UK.

Neil will be attending this year’s Game & 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: 

There is one dish that I keep coming back to over the last eight years as it is such a crowd pleaser and that would be our warm chocolate mousse, olive oil and cardamom ice cream. 

Describe your style of cuisine in ten words:

Ingredient led, seasonal, common sense cooking. 

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

The first time I ate at Faviken in Sweden was the closest thing I’ve had to a food related life changing moment.

Worst/weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten: 

Fermented shark meat in Iceland. I can’t possibly comprehend how anyone could truly enjoy this. 

Worst thing you’ve ever cooked: 

I’ve produced some pretty bad staff meals in my time trying to use up whatever we had left in the kitchen but I think the raspberry mashed potatoes I was instructed to cook when lodge cooking in my early twenties has to take the biscuit. 

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

A 4.5kg turbot on a tiny barbecue for some friends in the pitch black after several glasses of wine last summer that turned out beautifully. 

Favourite ingredient:

Raw scallop straight from the sea. 

 Your go-to recipe book: 

The British Cookbook, having recently moved back to the UK it has been really fun to explore some old British classics and this book is so beautifully put together by Ben Mervis and the imagery by Sam Harris is stunning. 

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

I absolutely love Thai food and its something we are really lacking here in Edinburgh. Authentic Thai cuisine is just so fresh and almost always packs a punch. 

Most you’ve ever paid for a meal: 

I had a pretty disappointing meal at Amass in Copenhagen that cost around €1,600.

Your favourite Scottish chef: 

Rosie Healey at Gloriosa in Glasgow. I’ve never had a dish there that I didn’t like and everything is so well balanced.

Favourite chef outside Scotland: 

Dylan Watson-Brawn who is over in Berlin would have to be one of my favourite chefs, his passion and technique for bringing the best out of fantastic ingredients without too much manipulation is something to behold.  

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

All of my family are really into their food and so it was always a big thing for us. I was incredibly fussy until my early 20s however and so I didn’t really seize the opportunity to learn about the excellent food that was being prepared at home by my parents. 

Most important lesson a young chef can learn: 

Have confidence in yourself and your abilities. You need to get it wrong plenty before you really get it right. 

Culinary mentor:

Charlie Lockley at Boath House taught me so much about precision and not just settling for ordinary. 

Best thing about the industry: 

The people, not many people are working in hospitality for the money and so you are constantly surrounded by people who have a real passion for what they do. 

Worst thing about the industry: 

The margins and the hours. It’s incredibly difficult to build a profitable business in hospitality and the work hours are so often anti social. 

What’s the biggest sin a chef can commit: 

Sending out food that they know themselves is not good enough. 

What do you eat when you’re at home: 

A lot of pasta! We have two young girls at home who absolutely adore making, rolling and eating pasta and so it’s a twice a week occurrence in our house at least. 

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

This is a tough one, I wouldn’t mind setting my mum up with Ben Fogle for a dinner date so I’m going to say my Mum and Ben Fogle. 

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

I secretly want Ben Fogle to be my step dad.  

What’s your favourite wine?

Suertes Del Marques Trenzado from Tenerife is certainly up there. It is quite unusual in flavour profile and also you don’t often get the chance to taste wines from that region which makes it even more special. 

Your spirit of choice? 

Mezcal in summer, whisky in winter. 

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

I like music in the kitchen during prep time but generally not during service as my hearing is already pretty poor. The current track I can’t stop playing would be Holding Hands by the Magic Lantern. 

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

Front of house or a restaurant manager of some sorts. I can’t imagine not working in hospitality in some capacity. 

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

I am one of the few chefs who actually loves customer interaction, I can’t imagine working as a chef again where I don’t get to interact with the people who are eating our food. 

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