Grant MacNicol, former student chef at The North Highland College, returned last week to work with current trainee chefs to produce a three course meal for invited guests at the Flagstones Restaurant. He also gave a demonstration of two of the dishes and a talk about his career to pupils from Wick and Thurso High School.

Grant left the college in 2001 and began his working life as a chef at the Royal Marine Hotel in Brora. After two years he worked for a short spell at the Forsinard Hotel, the Bridge Hotel in Helmsdale, and the Dornoch Bridge Inn before in February 2003 becoming head chef at the Dornoch Castle Hotel. Whilst there he became the youngest chef in Scotland to obtain an AA Rosette which he retained for the following three years.

At the same time as working in Dornoch Grant found time to enter several competitions, and in 2006 became runner up (to Andrew Fairlie of Gleneagles) in the 'Gourmet Menu Of The Year' at the Scottish Chef Awards in Glasgow. In 2007 he became the first chef north of Stirling to win the prestigious 'Young Chef Of The Year' award also at the Scottish Chef Awards. In the same year he was awarded 'Young Highlands And Islands Ambassador Of The Year' at the Scottish Tourism Awards.

Anne Frew (section leader for hospitality at The North Highland College) was delighted when Grant agreed to become a guest chef.

"To see a former student go on to make such a mark in the industry is really inspiring for current students. It teaches them that if they set their sights high enough there is nothing they can't achieve."

Grant himself told the visiting school pupils and current students that his grounding at the college and the contacts he made whilst here was an excellent launch pad for his career.