Great British Menu 2022 chefs: Stuart Ralston, Scotland heat

Chef owner of Aizle and Noto Edinburgh Stuart Ralston is one of four chefs representing Scotland on Great British Menu 2022

Series 17 of the competition starts on February 1st 2022 on BBC Two at 8pm and will air every Tuesday at 8pm, every Wednesday at 9pm (as of the week commencing March 7th) and Thursday at 8pm for eight weeks.

Stuart is competing against chefs Adam Handling, Fraser Smith and Calum Montgomery in a bid to represent Scotland in the national finals, and ultimately serve a dish at the banquet celebrating the BBC's 100th anniversary. This is Stuart's second time on Great British Menu, as he took part for the first time in 2021.

Fraser was the first to leave the competition after cooking his fish course. Fraser was the first to leave the competition after cooking his fish course. Despite putting up some great dishes, Calum was next to leave the Great British Menu kitchen, leaving Adam and Stuart to face judges Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona and Ed Gamble on Thursday 3rd March 2022.

Both chefs put up a good fight, but Adam was the one to win over the judges, letting him through to represent Scotland in the regional Finals.

Biography 

Born in Glenrothes, Stuart Ralston has worked in some of the world’s most coveted culinary locations, including New York, where he spent six years and Barbados, where he worked at L’Acajou at Sandy Lane Hotel.

In April 2014, Stuart and his wife Krystal returned to Edinburgh to open Aizle, a Scottish bistro which married Stuart’s international culinary education to Scotland's finest produce.

In 2019, Stuart opened a second restaurant, Noto, a casual take on his highly-acclaimed fine dining restaurant, with an a la carte menu featuring food inspired by the chef's time in New York.

Stuart was among the first wave of chefs to cut down his restaurant's opening days to four days to improve his team's (and his own) work-life balance, a move which has since been adopted by many and which is hoped will inspire more young people to consider a career in hospitality. 

Describing his food style as 'natural and organic with Japanese and Asian flavours and techniques', the chef's dishes on Great British Menu 2022 will pay tribute to 'Monarch of the Glen' as well as 'Coast,' showcasing the best of Scottish produce. 

Age/DOB

38

Relationship status/Children

Married with two children, Sonny and Jesse

Height

5ft8"