Award-winning Paisley writer calls for celebration of Scottish food

Lifelong Paisley resident Peter Gilchrist believes Scottish cuisine has gained an unfair reputation and is on a mission to change the way people think about food in Scotland.

“I don’t think we recognise our food as being world class,” said Peter. “But we’d have no problem saying that a baguette made in France is world class, or describing the working class food of other cultures as excellent.

“Our food is just as good as anywhere else. We need to take a stand against this very unnatural discourse about Scottish food being haggis on a tartan tablecloth, or a deep fried Mars bar with a BMI chart.

“Those are the only things you ever hear about Scottish food. And I think it’s time we had a collective self-esteem boost, and recognised the quality and craftsmanship of our bakeries and our butchers.”

Peter receiving his Best Newcomer award (Image: Guild of Food Writers)

After being commissioned earlier this year by Scotland Food & Drink to produce a regional food strategy for Renfrewshire, Peter was reminded of the region’s vibrant cultural heritage.

“We have an incredibly rich history here,” he said. “There’s Brown & Polson who invented cornflour, but also Struther’s lemonade in Lochwinnoch, and Robertson’s marmalade from Paisley.

“Just now, we’re in this really exciting moment where we’ve got a coffee roaster, a distillery, a craft brewery. Porelli’s gelato factory is about to have their 100 year anniversary. Massive companies are here, and really exciting food is being developed.

“And it sits right alongside our world class, generations-old butchers and bakers. It’s a really exciting time for Renfrewshire food. But it’s nothing new - our history is filled with exciting innovators that have been global successes.”

Peter was recently crowned Best Newcomer 2024 by the Guild of Food Writers, picking up the award for his ‘Make Mine a Doubler’ article. Written in the wake of Mortons Rolls briefly ceasing production last year, it examines the cultural significance of the famous morning roll.

“With the sudden news about Mortons, there was a lot of talk about morning rolls, which led to me reflecting on my own relationship with them,” Peter said.

“I began to realise that morning rolls were a fixture of Saturday mornings in my household - my dad would go down to the baker’s and get a dozen crispy rolls, and we’d have family come over. It was a tradition.

“If I have a square sausage with bacon and tomato ketchup, that’s what my dad ate, that’s what my grandad ate. And I’m sure another generation prior to him probably had something of the same.

“When I eat a morning roll, that is the type of roll, with the type of sausage, and the type of bacon that I ate growing up, I’m instantly connected with my childhood. And for a lot of people like myself that grew up very poor, that morning roll is a very accessible luxury.”

Peter proudly donned his kilt to attend the awards ceremony in London, where he shared the company of not one but two Great British Bake Off legends.

“Prue Leith was there,” he said, “and she received a lifetime achievement award from Sandi Toksvig. It was all very fancy - I felt very out of place!”

Having won the Best Newcomer award, Peter will now receive a year’s mentorship to help him work on his first book - a mixture of traditional recipes and Scottish food history.

“I want to be able to share family stories, and look at the way that working class people have eaten for the last 200 years - and then have really fantastic recipes for things like a Glasgow morning roll, or for my gran’s scones,” Peter said.

“I want to give them the space that they need to be showcased as excellent or world class; just as good as anywhere else.”