North Shields chef crowned Scotland’s 'Chef of the Year’

Born and raised in on Tyneside, Michael now lives on the Argyll coast with his wife Ieva, and their son, Jonas.

Growing up in the north east coast, Michael was never far from a fish dish and his love for seafood, which he still carries today, began in his earliest years.

Michael has now been head chef at The Pierhouse Hotel & Seafood Restaurant at Port Appin in Argyll for just over five and a half years, where he leads the kitchen team of nine.

This is the first time that Michael has been recognised personally for his culinary talent and passion by an independent panel of travel writers, industry experts and peers. Now in its twenty-second year, the Hotels of the Year Scotland Awards honour the outstanding success across Scotland’s hotel and hospitality industry.

Commenting on his national award success, Michael said:

“It’s a huge honour to have been named Scotland’s Chef of the Year, to represent the wonderful community here in Port Appin, and do my bit to showcase the very best of Argyll to an even wider audience.

“This national recognition wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of my family and our incredible kitchen team, who work so hard to ensure The Pierhouse retains its position as one of one of Argyll’s most iconic coastal hotels and seafood restaurants.

Click here to learn more about NewcastleWorld: Essential, our weekly newsletter, delivering the city’s headline highlights to your inbox

“Thanks also goes to our close network of the region’s best local producers and suppliers. I’m exceedingly proud of the relationships that I build up with our suppliers and wherever possible, I source all ingredients within a 50-mile radius of the hotel.”

Michael continued:

“I would describe my cooking style as unpretentious – a little classic and a little modern. I like to let the produce speak for itself with nice clean flavours. I do like to honour classic dishes but add a playful and comforting twist.