Clydebank High chef named best in Scotland at awards

Donald McInnes is credited with transforming the meals service at Clydebank High School and judges agreed after he was named School Chef of the Year.

The recognition was presented to Donald at the Scottish School Food Awards, a black-tie event held in Edinburgh on Wednesday

And those deciding explained they were impressed with the former private sector chef's “outstanding” children’s meals.

The judges commented: “In addition to ensuring the production of outstanding food for all pupils, his efforts have had a significant and positive impact on the broader culture at their school and others in the area.”

The winners of the Scottish School Food Awards (Image: Supplied)

Donald spent 40 years running kitchens in leading hotels and restaurants.

He was head chef or executive chef at a range of classy venues including Ayr Racecourse, the Malmaison Hotel, Western House Hotel in Ayr, the Hotel du Vin and Ingliston Country Club.

He also worked in France and Switzerland. 

More than 90 per cent of all the dishes, and all the sauces, at Clydebank High School are made from scratch.

Under his guidance, the school achieved the Food for Life Served Here Award, run by the Soil Association and funded by the Scottish Government to help local authorities to source fresh, local and sustainable food for school meals.

Open to state-run, private and public schools throughout the country, the Scottish School Food Awards were judged by a panel of independent experts from across the education sector.

They are the first food and wellbeing awards for Scotland’s schools, celebrating those prioritising high-quality food and nutrition and wellbeing programmes.