Being invited to head the British prime minister’s catering is a rarity. However, Chef Peter Meechan, a winner of the Young Chef Young Waiter 2020 competition, has now done this twice. At the 10 Downing Street reception to celebrate Burns Night, he helped elevate the celebrations with his menu of Scottish-themed dishes.
The Young Chef Young Waiter competition can be an incredible springboard for winners and finalists, and there are few better examples of this than Peter Meechan, who won the Chef category in 2020. On the 21st March of 2022, at 10 Downing Street, Peter was tasked with designing and cooking a special menu to celebrate Burns Night, and according to the renowned chef Theo Randall, all the dishes were perfect.
The celebrations were rescheduled from January 2022 and were co-hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Scottish Secretary of State Alister Jack. Peter Meechan from Scotland won the Young Chef Young Waiter competition in 2020 and previously cooked for Boris Johnson at the Global Investment Summit in 2021.
The menu of Scottish themed canapés included many local products from Scotch Whisky and Highland Chocolatier.
The Menu created by Peter Meechan consisted of:
- Chive scone topped with smoked salmon and a horseradish cream
- Venison tartare on crostini
- Oat biscuit with cheddar mousse, onion chutney and pickled walnut
- Potato farl topped with beetroot tartare
- Haggis “bob bon” with whisky mayonnaise
- Chocolate cup filled with a cranachan cream (using Drambuie)
In 2020, Head Chef Judge of Young Chef Young Waiter Theo Randall said: “Peter Meechan is a natural cook with outstanding ability, the dishes he created were not just perfectly cooked, but the skill he showed in preparation was a joy to watch. I wish Peter all the success he deserves, and I look forward to seeing this talented young man reach the pinnacle of our beloved industry.”
World Young Chef Young Waiter Sean Valentine FIH said: “I’m so proud of Peter Meechan’s journey since taking home the trophy in 2020. Winning the Young Chef Young Waiter competition is a huge achievement, and he has continued to excel in the hospitality industry.
First. he cooked a world-class menu for 180 of the world’s top investors in innovation for the Global Investment Summit hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in October. Earlier this week, he represented Scottish hospitality by creating the canapés for a Downing Street reception. We’re thankful for our relationship with the GREAT team for the opportunity and excited to see what the future holds for Peter.”
Read more culinary news and features here.