User:Martin Wishart/sandbox

Martin Wishart is a Scottish Chef, born in Edinburgh. He owns Restaurant Martin Wishart in Edinburgh.

Martin Wishart opened his eponymous restaurant in Edinburgh’s historic Port of Leith with his wife Cecile in February 1999. Since then it has become known as one of the UK’s most acclaimed dining venues, currently holding one Michelin star, 4 AA rosettes and a score of 8/10 in the Good Food Guide. Martin was also voted AA Chef Chef of the Year 2010-2011. He was also awarded a honorary degree of Doctor Honoris Causa for his outstanding culinary contribution to Scotland. Now celebrating twelve years of continuing growth, the doors that opened with just four staff now play host to a kitchen, front-of-house and management team of over twenty five. Martin directs this team with one member of staff for every two guests, and holds true to the original mission to bring the very best traditional and modern French cuisine to Edinburgh, using the finest and freshest local ingredients. Martin gave Edinburgh its first Michelin Star in 2001 and this has been confirmed every year since. Martin trained under renowned chefs including Albert Roux, Michel Roux Jr, Marco Pierre White, Nick Nairn and John Burton-Race. Martin is an entrepreneur with a passion for cooking. He keeps on top of his profession by forming bonds with other internationally acclaimed restaurants. His brilliant career has taken him around the world to Australia, the USA, Singapore and across Europe. Martin continues to strive for professional success at Restaurant Martin Wishart. Now, with the opening of his Cook School in December 2007, his second one Michelin star Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond at Cameron House Hotel in November 2008 and his latest addition The Honours: a contemporary and exciting brasserie in the heart of Edinburgh city centre opened July 2011. Martin aims to strengthen Scotland's reputation for good food and to encourage others with his enthusiasm for cooking.

Personal interests: Wine and food tasting. sailing, windsurfing, cycling, skiing, football, rugby. World travel and local cultures.

His Early years: Martin Wishart family originates from Shetland, his parents moved to Edinburgh in their early twenties. Martin used to visit Shetland at least once a year mainly for the summer holidays. He went to the Blackhall primary school. Then he went to Broughton High School in Edinburgh. He left school when he was 15 and joins a ‘YTS’ in catering and everything started from there. Martin has always taken cooking seriously.

Family life: Martin is married since 2003 to Cécile Auvinet. They have now two daughters Clara born in 2004 and Amy born in 2007.

Traveling and looking for inspiration: Martin enjoys travelling and eating in different restaurants and discovering different ingredients and different cuisines. He has cooked recently in different countries: In Singapore, for the Formula 1. In Holland, in a 2 star Michelin restaurant in Overveen called the Bokkedoorns, for a special whisky and Scottish night. In New York, he cooked in the James Beard Foundation In France, he has been invited to ‘Les Rencontres Gastronomiques Internationales’ in Toulouse. In Canada, he has been invited to a cookery school to teach for a week.

Martin always enjoys discovering new territories. Martin also challenges himself working in different restaurants: he has worked doing ‘stages’ in Daniel Boulud just in March 2010. He went in 2009 to work in a 3 stars in Holland, in Zwolle ‘De Librije’ for a week. He always looks at improving his food and looks for inspiration.

Running a business: Running a business is also big part of Martin’s life, he really enjoys the challenges of opening a business, improving it and pushing it forward all the way. He has shown his great entrepreneurial spirit opening his restaurant in Leith, a cook school, a restaurant in Cameron house and a brasserie THE HONOURS.He has also written a cookery book, that he published himself by creating his own publishing company. His book was sold out in less than 2 years. (3400 copies) He is now working towards his second book.

Others: Martin has been a food columnist to the Herald Saturday magazine since April 2006. Martin has been involved in the Scottish food scholarship. He is passionate about bringing young people into the industry. He is currently in talks with Queen Margaret University about setting up a recognized apprenticeship through his business. He is an ambassador for British food. He also gets involved with charity work: he has supported the Muir Maxwell Trust, Spina bifida, Cancer research and numerous others.