Nick Nairn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1959-01-12)12 January 1959 (age 66) Stirling, Scotland |
| Culinary career | |
Current restaurant
| |
| Website | https://www.nairns.co.uk |
Nick Nairn (born 12 January 1959) is a Scottishcelebrity chef. He became the youngest Scottish chef to win aMichelin star in the early 1990s.[1]
Nairn was born inStirling in January 1959 and grew up in the village ofPort of Menteith inStirlingshire.[2][3] He attended McLaren High School inCallander[4] before joining themerchant navy at the age of 17 in 1976.[3] He studied at theGlasgow College of Nautical Studies and served in the Merchant Navy until 1983.[5][6]He now lives inBridge of Allan.
Despite a lack of formal training, he opened his first restaurant, Braeval nearAberfoyle, in 1986.[1][3][7] The restaurant won a Michelin star in 1991,[8] making Nairn the second youngest Scottish chef to win a star behind Ross Miller who held one Michelin Star at the Champany Inn at the age of 25.[1][2]
Nairn went on to open Nairns restaurant inGlasgow in 1998 and a cook school in 2000 at Lake of Menteith.[1][3] In 2003, he sold his restaurant in Glasgow to concentrate on the cookery school, although he also undertakes a range of corporate work.[3][7] In 2012 he opened his second cook school, which is located inAberdeen.[9]
Nairn was a regular chef onBBC's popularReady Steady Cook from 1995 and presented the Wild Harvest and Island Harvest television programmes in 1996 and 1997.[7] He co-hosted the BBC show "The Great Food Guys" showcasing Scottish food and produce withDougie Vipond. He has written a number of books and columns for newspapers and magazines and has appeared on a range of television programmes, including a stint as the main presenter on theBBC Scotland programmeLandward from 2007 to 2009.[3][10] In 2008 he defeatedTom Lewis in the Scottish heat of theBBC television seriesGreat British Menu. He went on to cook a main course ofroe venison forQueen Elizabeth II and 250 guests at theMansion House for her official 80th birthday celebration.
Nairn was awarded an honorary doctorate by theUniversity of Stirling in 2007 for his contributions to Scottish cooking and healthy eating campaigns.[1][11] He was awarded a second honorary doctorate fromAbertay University in June 2016.[12]
In December 2017 Nairn was the victim of an assault in Aberdeen.[13]
On 28 August 2021, a huge fire on a Saturday evening damaged his restaurant, Nick's, in Stirling. No casualties were reported.[14]