The Hot Scots Power 40: Martin Wishart, Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh
Ranking: 3
Martin Wishart is the chef behind two eponymous Michelin-starred restaurants in Scotland - located in Edinburgh and Loch Lomond - as well as brasserie the Honours and a cookery school, both also in Edinburgh.
Martin Wishart - Career guide
Martin Wishart 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 and Le Bernardin. 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.
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 subsequently opened his Edinburgh-based Cookery School in 2007, Martin Wishart at Cameron House Hotel on Loch Lomond in 2008 - which went on to pick up a Michelin star three years later - and French restaurant the Honours in Edinburgh in 2011.
Wishart was named the AA's Chef's Chef of the Year 2010-2011, and in 2012 became the first chef to be awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh.
His Edinburgh fine-dining site is currently ranked as the 17th best restaurant in the UK with a score of 8/10 by the Good Food Guide, while he came in 8th place in the 2012 Sunday Times Food List, which ranks the 100 best restaurants in Britain.
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 two years running. He has also shown that this success is no one-off by gaining a Michelin star at its sister restaurant in Loch Lomond in 2011.
The opening of the Honours was a more interesting challenge for Wishart. The 60-seat restaurant is a departure from his fine-dining background and is instead modelled on a Parisian brasserie. However, such has been its success that Wishart is rumoured to be eyeing up a second site in Glasgow. All being well, he then aims to roll out the concept - a move that could see him really flex his muscles within the industry.
His chef peers are backing him for further success. 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.
Martin Wishart's ranking in the 2012 Caterer and Hotelkeeper 100 >>Three Scottish restaurants win new Michelin stars >>
Martin Wishart considering Glasgow for second Honours site >>
Michelin-starred chef Martin Wishart receives honorary doctorate from University of Edinburgh >>
