Roberta Hall-McCarron is a living embodiment of all that makes Scotland so magical. Her love for its people, produce, and places oozes from her every pore, and while she has been cooking since she was young, much is made these days of her “overnight success.” And yet, with any rapid foray into the public eye, most have been working away for years before becoming well-known. Such is the case for Hall-McCarron. She comes up over and over again in interviews with big-name chefs as a new favourite or one to watch.
Working under the very able wing of Scotland’s great, Tom Kitchin, she went on to appear on Great British Menu and did a stint in Dubai (could there be anywhere more different to the Highlands?) and then returned home, opening critically acclaimed The Little Chartroom, Eleanore and Ardfern. She is a champion of all things Scottish, and her new book, The Changing Tides, is more than just a cookbook; it is an ode to Scotland. “Scotland has so much scope and so many wonderful places are opening outside of Edinburgh,” she says when we speak. “I’ve always been proud to say I’m Scottish. The produce is incredible, which really helps with cooking local seasonal food. I love chocolate, and I have to get that from outside of Scotland! My executive chef at The Chartroom worked in Australia, so we’ve now incorporated some real Asian influences subtly, such as starting to use white soy to add an extra layer of umami. But generally, we have an abundance of amazing stuff right here.”
Hall-McCarron mentions Tom Kitchin a lot, and it’s clear he made a huge mark on her. “Working with him was a pivotal moment in my career. It was infectious working in a restaurant where the chef owner was there for every service, unbelievably driven and passionate about Scottish produce and classical cooking.” She was, she felt, “totally out of her depth” but, clearly, she was able to cope better than she thought, and she spent over three years in The Kitchin before moving to Tom’s new restaurant, Castle Terrace. And, as with all great chefs, her time came to open her own place, but not until after she married Shaun, the Castle Terrace manager, in 2018. They went on to open The Little Chartroom together and have been making major waves in the food world ever since.
amelia claudia