12/12/2006

“Without a shadow of a doubt, my top table has to be the Three Chimney’s on the Isle of Skye. Husband and wife, Shirley and Eddie Spear, make a formidable team, with Shirley in the kitchen and Eddie at front of house. They share a real passion for food and drink and have built up the business with phenomenal success over the last 20 or so years. They’ve been voted one of the top 50 restaurants in the world, and even though it’s remote, every summer there is a well-worn path to their door made by people wanting to pay homage. Shirley is 'flying the flag' for women too, in a very male-dominated industry. She shows that it’s not just the arse-slapping, swearing chefs that do well!”

Fi Buchanan runs the much-loved Heart Buchanan Deli and recently opened nextdoor cafe/restaurant, Heart Buchanan Kitchen, in Byres Road, Glasgow. An energetic supporter of Scottish produce, Fi offers ready meals for frazzled office workers, alongside an array of delicacies, from cheeses and olives to smoked salmon and homemade jams.