SMWS INSIDER
Nick Fulton
There are many weird and wonderful aspects to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, but flavour is what lies at its very core. This is something the Society’s new group head chef, Nick Fulton, has happily embraced while crafting bespoke new menus for our Members’ Rooms. Using a whisky-first approach, Nick’s extensive experience has taken the Society’s dining to new heights, as Duncan Gorman writes
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It’s quite fitting that Nick Fulton’s first interaction with Scotch was in some way food related – a gentle foreshadowing to his 20-year culinary career that has become interwound with whisky. “My first memories of whisky are from summer holidays fishing in South Uist”, Nick recalls.
“Every day seemed to end gutting and scaling fish before sharing a few drams in the shed out the back of the hotel. More recently my interest in whisky developed through running a pop-up restaurant and doing a lot of collaborations with Scottish distilleries. It really opened my eyes to the world of whisky.”
Although Nick had always enjoyed being in the kitchen, it wasn’t the reason he signed up for his first cheffing job. He explains: “Cooking has always been a passion, but I slightly fell into it professionally. My first cheffing job was supposed to be a summer job, but I fell in love with everything about it and my summer job has turned into a 20-year career.”
He continues: “I started as a commis chef in Edinburgh restaurants, before moving to London and working in a number of restaurants of all levels. In the summer of 2014, my friend and I quit our jobs and started an eight-week pop-up restaurant in a steelyard where we served a very tongue-in-cheek Scottish menu paired with whisky cocktails and Scottish beers. Things like deep fried mars bars, Irn Bru chilli jam, and shortbread ice cream were on the menu.”
ABOVE: The Society's new group head chef, Nick Fulton
It was during this eight-week stint of Scottish-inspired servings that Nick was introduced to the next step in his culinary career – whisky pairings. He explains: “One night one of our guests, who was a brand ambassador for a distillery, asked if we’d be interested in a collaboration, and the blueprint for our business was born. We travelled all over the country doing food and whisky pairings in unusual venues like distilleries, whisky festivals, East London warehouses, and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
“Six years later, my partner and I found out that we were expecting twins, so I sold my share of the business and moved back north. Since being back in Edinburgh, I spent almost three years as the head chef of a catering company and then as development chef with a large hospitality group.”
With his venture into the whisky world unlocking an entirely new range of flavours, Nick was hooked by the endless variety of combinations he could create. He adds: “Pairing whisky with food is fascinating. Discovering how the flavours of whisky can enhance and complement the dishes and vice versa. Each whisky has its own unique profile, from smoky and peaty to fruity and floral, and finding the perfect match can elevate the dining experience to new heights.”
With valuable hands-on experience in complementing the intricate flavours of Scotch whisky with food, Nick seamlessly transitioned into his new position as the Society’s group head chef. He plans to carry out his new role with a whisky-first approach, as he explains: “Everything we do in the kitchen links back to the whisky. We try to create menus that the members are excited by and are proud to bring guests to try. One of the main benefits of the Society is that members come to us far more frequently than a restaurant or bar, so we try to create a food offering for all occasions; a quick lunch, bar snack, or a three-course dinner. We want to add to another level to our members’ experience when they pop in for a dram.”
Since joining the Society, Nick has been tasked with creating bespoke menus that reflect the individuality and unique character of our three Scottish Members’ Rooms. Nick continues: “The vision is different for each of the Members’ Rooms; they all have their own personality which will be reflected in the menus and the food on the plate. Queen Street is elegant and refined, The Vaults is warm and familiar, and Bath Street is a hidden gem. Though they’re all different, they are all serving seasonal menus with great quality dishes that champion Scottish produce and pair beautifully with our whisky offering.”
