Temuka woman shows Scotland who's top chef

A Temuka chef has once again wowed the Scots with her Kiwi style cafe.

Kirsten Gilmour, who was raised in Temuka, has owned and operated the Mountain Cafe in Aviemore in the north of Scotland for nearly five years.

Her cafe recently won the Customer Excellence award 2009 and the Ethical Good Food award 2009 for the Highlands of Scotland. These awards follow her nomination for the Casual Dining Chef of Scotland award early last year.

"I was home for the month of November and was really impressed with the level of service, food and coffee us Kiwis offer," she says. "I always come back buzzing and refreshed ready to put the next lot of energy into my business and I find myself making it more Kiwi by the day."

She spent three years studying cookery at Aoraki Polytechnic. There Mrs Gilmour was selected to compete with the 1999 Toque d'Or team which went on to win gold at the New Zealand Culinary Fare. She also won awards at the Southern Culinary Fare between 1997 and 1999.

Like many Kiwi talents, she followed her dreams to Britain, where it wasn't long before she landed a job working for Annie O'Carroll at the award-winning London Sugar Club.

Mrs Gilmour now has a website promoting New Zealand artists and businesses. You can view the website at mountaincafe-aviemore.co.uk.

- © Fairfax NZ News