Emma Mykytyn Scottish Restaurant Duo Finalists in UK-wide Award
Chef Jacob Macleod and Sommelier Mollie McNamara, both from Scotland’s Killiecrankie House, have made it through to the final five in the 11th edition of the Gosset Matchmakers, a highly prestigious UK-wide chef and sommelier competition.
The duo are the only finalists taking part in the competition from Scotland and, barring one other competitor, are the only ones not based in the UK capital.
The annual Gosset Matchmakers is a competition for rising chefs and sommeliers, each with fewer than five years of professional experience. Teams are invited to submit an imaginative and innovative food pairing with a Gosset Champagne, this year’s choice being Gosset Grand Blanc de Blanc.
Maison Gosset, known for Pinot Noir from Aÿ, created this 100% Chardonnay Champagne for the first time in 2011. It is a dynamic and crisp wine of great character; the palate delivers flavours of citrus fruit that mingle with pineapple and finish with a sparkling saline note.
On successfully making it through to the next round, the final five finalists are invited to Cord by Le Cordon Bleu to prepare and present their pairing. Jacob and Mollie will present their signature dish, ‘Sea Bream and Courgette Rose’. Entrants must bring their own ingredients for this first dish and will be limited to a £40 ingredients budget to level the playing field.
On the day, Jacob, Mollie and the other finalists will also be challenged to create an original dish using a mystery ingredient paired with a mystery Champagne, all in under two hours. They will be provided with the ingredients to prepare this surprise pairing, further demonstrating their creativity and ability to work as a team under pressure.
The other finalists include Chef Jack Brett and Sommelier Fiorella Atencio, Petrus by Gordon Ramsay, London; Chef Ben Smith and Sommelier Emilio Luiso, The Ritz, London; Chef Tadhg McCabe, Pavilion by Yannick Alleno, and Sommelier Jack Stalker, Restaurant St Barts, London; and Chef Joel Barton, The Bell Inn Hotel, Stilton, and Sommelier Sasha Cerqueira, CORD Restaurant, London.
The final takes place on Monday 21 September, with the results announced on the day.
Commenting on Jacob and Mollie’s shortlisting, Tom Tsappis, chef-owner of Killiecrankie House, said: ‘’Both Matilda and I took part in the Gosset Matchmakers finals in 2023, it’s a unique experience and one that challenges everyone who takes part, bringing out the very best in both the chef and the sommelier who work together as a team to deliver both their signature dish and the surprise dish and pairing. Naturally, we have everything crossed for Jacob and Mollie and wish them the very best of luck. They’ve already made us really proud; their hard work and dedication speak volumes, which is why we all hope that they can pull out all the stops and bring the title back to Scotland.’’
