Returning in 2026, The Scottish Venison Cookery Theatre is back! Enjoy live demonstrations and inspiring cookery masterclasses throughout the weekend, with five 45-minute sessions each day led by an incredible line-up of chefs. The 2026 timetable will be announced soon, featuring some exciting new faces you won’t want to miss.

What is The Scottish Venison Cookery Theatre

The Scottish Venison  Cookery Theatre is a great way to explore Scottish produce and how to get the best from our game.

The best of Scottish food has always been at the heart of The GWCT Scottish Game Fair and every year visitors flock to The Scottish Version Cookery Theatre to be inspired by well-known chefs and cookery experts.

The main remit is game cookery and you can watch popular names from the cookbook, restaurant and kitchen world. Ardgay Game and Perthshire Game are both integral members of the Scottish Venison Association (SVA), and will be supplying venison for the Cookery Theatre.

Ardgay Game is a second-generation, family-run business with nearly forty years of experience sourcing the finest venison from the Highland estates of Scotland.We pride ourselves on honesty, integrity, and a deep-rooted commitment to quality and the community. All our butchery is carried out in-house by our local team of skilled butchers, who combine tradition with technology to produce the finest meat—prepared to the exceptional standard our customers deserve, and have come to expect from Ardgay Game. Our passion for Highland venison runs through everything we do, from careful sourcing to expert preparation, ensuring every cut reflects the purity, provenance, and rich heritage of the Scottish Highlands.

See our chefs from the 2025 ESSE Cookers and Scottish Venison Cookery Theatre below:

Amy Rankine

Amy Rankine is a passionate forager based in central Scotland with over eight years’ experience leading walks and workshops that connect people with the natural world. Holding a BSc in Food Science and Technology and an MSc in Gastronomy, she is currently pursuing a PhD focused on food and communication. From 2023-2025, Amy participated in the Wildbiome Project, undertaking a three-month diet exclusively of wild foods to study their effects on the gut microbiome.

A dedicated advocate of the Slow Food movement, Amy places sustainability, environmental stewardship, and cultural heritage at the core of her practice. Beyond education, she collaborates with craft drinks producers to infuse wild, local flavours into beers and gins, helping to capture and celebrate a true sense of place in every sip.

Andrew Moss

Andrew Moss runs the acclaimed North Port Restaurant in Perth’s historic cultural quarter alongside his partner, Karen. Their intimate dining space showcases the very best of Scotland’s seasonal produce, delivered with a modern yet unfussy approach. Andrew’s journey in the kitchen began at just 14 years old as a dishwasher, eventually culminating in his takeover of the North Port in 2014.

He has since earned and retained two AA Rosettes for the restaurant and secured a coveted place in The Michelin Guide. His menus are driven by high-quality ingredients and a deep respect for seasonality, with Scottish game taking centre stage – a reflection of his enduring passion for the country’s wild larder.

Barry Bryson

Barry Bryson, owner and head chef of Barry Fish in Edinburgh, is an award-winning culinary talent celebrated for his dedication to showcasing the finest seafood. After honing his skills across the UK and gaining valuable international experience during the first ten years of his career, Barry chose Leith- Edinburgh’s vibrant waterfront district- as the perfect home for his first restaurant.

Since opening in February 2025, Barry Fish has quickly established itself as a standout dining destination, earning critical acclaim for its fresh, expertly prepared dishes and warm, welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant’s early success was marked by eager queues of diners in its opening months, a testament to Barry’s skill and reputation. Committed to sustainability and quality, Barry continues to elevate Scotland’s seafood scene with his innovative approach and passion for local produce.

Daniela Forbes

Daniela Forbes is a chef, food stylist, and educator with deep Italian roots and a passion for helping people build confidence in the kitchen. Her instinctive, hearty approach to food is deeply rooted in family traditions. Daniela has led kitchens in cafés and bistros, delivered hands-on food education programmes across Scotland, and worked as a home economist and food stylist.

Since 2020, she has been running sourdough and pizza workshops from her home kitchen in Cramond and developing The Cook Academy, a creative space focused on fun, seasonal cooking experiences for all ages. Today, Daniela curates and runs The ESSE Cookery Theatre at the Scottish Game Fair, bringing together inspiring chefs and speakers to celebrate her simple food philosophy: cook with heart, keep it seasonal.

George Colebrook

London-born George Colebrook’s passion for food began in childhood, inspired by his butcher and dairy farmer grandfathers and a love for simple, ingredient-led cooking instilled by his mother. While studying at clown school in Paris, he began working part-time at Yard, where he fell in love with kitchens and gained skills in butchery and preserving. He went on to work at Jones (Paris), Koya and 6 Portland Road (London), and Barra (Berlin), where he met future business partner Neil Paterson. In 2024, after a stint at Bright in London, the pair co-founded Arete, offering bespoke dining experiences across the UK.

Grant MacNicol

Grant MacNicol is one of Scotland’s most respected culinary professionals, with a career spanning some of the country’s finest kitchens. He has held Executive Chef roles at renowned establishments including Dornoch Castle, Simpsons Hotel, Rufflets in St Andrews, Fonab Castle, and Glenmorangie House. He also successfully ran his own high-end restaurant for several years.

Grant’s leadership in the kitchen has been instrumental in securing and maintaining coveted AA Rosette awards, a testament to his consistent excellence and high standards.

He is also a familiar face to many, having appeared on BBC television, including The Adventure Show and MasterChef: The Professionals, where his skill and passion for Scottish cuisine reached a wider audience.

In Scotland, culinary reputations aren’t built overnight. They grow from deep respect for heritage and a desire to innovate-  a balance Grant strikes with ease. His cooking reflects both tradition and forward-thinking creativity, making him a true ambassador for modern Scottish food.

Neil Paterson

Originally from the Scottish Highlands, Neil Paterson entered hospitality as a kitchen porter while working as a snowboard instructor. Discovering a love for cooking, he trained at Boath House, where he learned classical techniques and developed a deep respect for Scottish produce and seasonality. In Berlin, Neil co-founded the acclaimed restaurant Barra, which earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and it was here he met George Colebrook. Returning to Scotland, Neil worked as a private chef and at The Palmerston before launching Arete with George in 2024, a service focused on refined, produce-driven dining.

Richard Dalgleish

Richard Dalgleish is the Estate Executive Sous Chef at The Gleneagles Hotel, one of Scotland’s premier luxury destinations. With a strong focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, Richard plays a key role in delivering exceptional dining experiences that celebrate the rich culinary heritage of Scotland. Known for his skillful technique and dedication to quality, he works closely with local suppliers and estates to ensure the freshest produce is featured on every plate. Richard’s passion for combining traditional flavours with contemporary cooking methods makes him an integral part of Gleneagles’ acclaimed culinary team.

Stavros Bampatsikos

Stavros Bampatsikos is the Head Chef at the renowned Strathearn restaurant at Gleneagles, where he leads one of Scotland’s most iconic fine dining experiences. With a career rooted in classical training and shaped by a passion for seasonal, ingredient-led cuisine, Stavros brings a refined yet honest approach to the plate.

He has garnered recognition for his leadership and creativity, contributing to the Strathearn’s continued success as a destination restaurant. Under his direction, the kitchen celebrates the very best of Scotland’s natural larder – showcasing wild game, exceptional meats, and world-class seafood from the North Sea through to the waters of the Outer Hebrides.

Clare Coghill

Clare Coghill, originally from the Isle of Skye, is the chef-owner of Café Cùil in the seaside village of Carbost, where she champions local ingredients through fresh, modern dishes inspired by Skye and beyond. After opening her café in London in early 2020 and facing immediate closure due to the pandemic, Clare returned home to Skye—what was meant to be a short stay turned into a permanent move, and the beginning of Café Cùil’s hugely successful new chapter on the island. A native Gaelic speaker, Clare weaves Scottish culture, language and storytelling into the dining experience, with Gaelic menus, local artwork and a strong sense of place at the heart of everything she does.

A passionate traveller, Clare spends winters exploring global food cultures, bringing those influences back to Skye each spring. She first gained national recognition as the winning contestant on My Kitchen Rules, and has since gone on to appear at festivals and events across the UK and beyond. Highlights include being named Scotland’s Chef Ambassador at New York City Tartan Week, guest chef appearances at major festivals, and the launch of her debut Café Cùil Cookbook, which sold out on tour. Clare is also a regular food writer, with her recipes and stories featured in leading publications.

Sarah Rankin

Sarah Rankin is a MasterChef finalist, food writer and lover of Scottish flavours and produce.

Seasonality, sustainability and a focus on Scottish producers and our unrivalled larder are at the heart of her cookbooks Kith and Feast, both of which are available now.

Sarah is a private chef, cooking for clients all over the country, and runs cookery classes for home cooks in Perthshire. She is also a much in demand culinary event host, welcoming visitors and competitors to the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Championships every October, hosting the Scottish Foodies Festival Chef’s Theatre, and the Ideal Home Show Scotland Food and Drink stage. She is a regular contributor on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio 4’s iconic food panel show, The Kitchen Cabinet, talking all things food and cooking.

Sarah said, ‘as a cook who believes that Scotland’s larder is the best in the world, I love sharing stories and recipes featuring game. Venison is one of Scotland’s most sustainable and flavourpacked ingredients, and the Scottish Game Fair Cookery Theatre is the perfect place to find out how to cook with it confidently and creatively.