Kevin Sutherland is yet another success story for the training provided by our Hospitality & Catering department at The North Highland College in Thurso.

His success last year in the Scottish Food Scholarship Final (Glasgow 20/03/06) has now been eclipsed by his winning of the title 'International Copa Jerez 2007.'

The International Copa Jerez competition was judged by Heston Blumenthal and Julli Soller (head chef at the world's best restaurant 'El Bulli'). It aims to seek out up and coming sherry sous chefs and sommelier duos to sit alongside established sherry chef advocates - including Heston Blumenthal, Angela Hartnett, and Anthony Flinn. It also aims to promote the creation of sherry recipes amongst the next generation of chefs.

This is an international competition where he and his colleagues from The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh were competing against teams from around the world to produce a menu expertly matched to a selection of sherries.

Kevin studied HNC Professional Cookery here in the late nineties and worked initially in the Mansfield House Hotel in Tain before moving to the Balmoral Hotel. He is currently senior sous chef in the Michelin starred 'Number One' restaurant in the hotel.