Julie Dalton, owner of Hatch, St Andrews, tell us about her dream dinner guests and guilty food pleasure

What’s your favourite ingredient?

Black pepper, as it’s the king of spices and divine for its warm, woody and herbaceous flavours. It brings just a touch of heat and spice to one of my favourite dishes – our delightful Atlantic sole, brown shrimp, burnt butter, spinach, samphire, capers and lemon. We serve this dish in Hatch, which is named after my two boys, Harrison and Charlie.

Do you have a guilty food pleasure?

An indulgent evening of cocktails and curry. My favourites are a Cosmopolitan teamed with a king prawn bhuna, pilaf rice, saag aloo and Bombay potatoes.

Tell us about you earliest food or cooking memory

My Granny taught me how to cook and bake. She’d make lentil soup, blade of beef and rock cakes. I thought Granny was the best rock cake maker ever. Or my Dad making me lunch for the first time when I was four, while Mum was shopping. Even if he did burn the peas it is a very special memory. It’s nothing compared to what he can achieve in the kitchen these days, he’s a real master chef.

What’s your favourite Scottish restaurant, deli or cafe?

The Gannet in Finnieston, Glasgow, for their modern Scottish fine dining. These guys are so stylish and the charm of the restaurant just keeps you heading back for more.

What would be your last supper?

To dine in the cellars at the Veuve Clicquot Estate and Vineyard in Reims, I’d taste all of their Champagne and devour a plateau fruits de mer consisting of lobster, oysters, shrimp, langoustine, crab, mussels and clams served with cocktail sauce. Divine.

Starter or pudding?

Pudding. Specifically, Hatch’s rhubarb and custard with cardamom, pistachio and meringue. This pudding is gluten free. I’m allergic to gluten and I work with our chef to ensure we offer dishes that are attractive and taste great for all our guests who have allergies.

Do you have any food hates?

I hate food waste. We’re currently working on sustainability at Hatch, The Adamson and The Adamson at Home. If I was to choose a dish that I’d enjoy the least it would be mushrooms on toast and Parmesan shavings served with a glass of sherry.

What starters, main and dessert would be served at your dream dinner party and who would you invite?

We’d have oysters, chateaubriand, hand-cut chips, green beans, shallots, butter leaf salad and, for dessert, our dark chocolate and espresso delice to accompany an espresso martini from The Adamson’s cocktail list. To enjoy this fine menu I would invite, my partner, Andreas Wijkstrom, as well as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.

What's your favourite geographical foodie destination?

Most recently, it’d have to be Sweden. The country has a fantastic restaurant scene with a wide variety of styles and cuisines .One of my favourite places is Fiskhuset Skanor which serves a mouthwatering fish stew – a salmon, cod and saffron bisque. It’s simply delicious.

www.hatchstandrews.com

www.theadamson.com

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