Having been given the Highly Commended Award in the same category last year, 25 year old Jack has now achieved his ambition of winning the outright title.
Jack, accompanied by wife Sarah, mum and dad, Michelle and Bryan, and other members of the multi award winning Jack ‘O’ Bryan’s team, attended last night’s glittering awards ceremony, held at The Glasgow Hilton.
Already a Head Chef with an impressive track record in the kitchen, and additionally an acclaimed pastry chef and chocolatier, Jack was deemed to be the most skillful young chef nominated, displaying a high level of passion and commitment to his craft.
His considerable talents have already seen Jack ‘O’ Bryan’s win the Forth One Restaurant of the Year Award last November, along with being Runner Up in the prestigious Fine Dine Restaurant Category of the SLTN Awards, also late last year.
“I am absolutely delighted to win Scottish Excellence Young Chef of the Year,” said Jack. “We had a fantastic night with my nearest and dearest here with me to see me pick up this really impressive, and extremely heavy, trophy! It will take pride of place on the bar at Jack ‘O' Bryan’s first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Having just missed out on the top award last year, it's even more satisfying to achieve it this year. Once again, the level of competition was extremely high, and I'd like to send my congratulations to all the winners and those that were nominated. The hospitality sector is a tough, but rewarding sector, that has been through the mill of late. These awards certainly celebrate the very best that it has to offer in Scotland,” added Jack.
His award of Scottish Excellence Young Chef of the Year was sponsored by well-known brand Albert Bartlett, a brand with which TV chef James Martin, chef host of the popular “Saturday Kitchen” programme, has recently collaborated, launching a range of potato products.
“I have a few good contacts with “Saturday Kitchen”, through my pastry chef mentor and friend, Mark Tilling, who regularly appears on the programme,” said Jack.
“My win is a perfect opportunity to pursue these contacts, with a view to hopefully taking part in the show sometime soon, as a guest chef. That kind of profile is certainly my aim at the moment,” he said.
Jack ‘O’ Bryan’s is the only Fife based business to win an award at the Excellence Awards last night.
Jack said: “We're now getting ready to open our next restaurant which will be really exciting for us all. We would like to thank our existing Jack ‘O’ Bryan’s customers who have wished us well with the new venture, and said that they will be coming along as soon as it opens.
"We look forward to an extremely busy summer as we continue to develop both Jack ‘O' Bryan’s, maintaining our excellence there, and bedding in The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack, which will shine a light on the finest fish and seafood.”
An upmarket, Hamptons-themed fish and chip restaurant showcasing the finest Scottish fish and seafood, The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack will provide Jack with yet more opportunity to flex his culinary muscles.
The Scottish Excellence Awards, which are widely considered to be Scotland’s premier hospitality awards, include a wide range of categories, from Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year, to Restaurant Newcomer, Best Sustainable Business, Pub Excellence, and Employer of the Year.
The full list of winners in the Scottish Excellence Awards 2025 can be found online at: www.scottishexcellenceawards.com.