The Edinburgh Reporter June 2021

15
No.1 at The Balmoral
Maid of the
Forth sets sail
Mathew Sherry appointed as new Head
Chef at Michelin-starred restaurant
MATHEW SHERRY has
been appointed as the new
Head Chef of Number One
at The Balmoral.
Edinburgh-born Mathew joins
the fine-dining Michelin-starred
restaurant from his role as Head
Chef of Michelin-starred
Northcote in Lancashire,
where he worked closely
with Executive Chef Lisa
Goodwin-Allen.
Prior to Northcote, Mathew
honed his skills under Chef
Patron Dominic Jack, working
for seven years at Castle Terrace
in Edinburgh.
Mathew will continue to use
seasonal Scottish produce at the
forefront of the restaurant’s
dining experience. He has
developed a new 3-course
menu and 7-course seasonal
menu using classical flavours
and modern techniques.
The Balmoral’s Executive Chef,
Gary Robinson, said: “Excellence
is at the heart of everything we
do at The Balmoral and Mathew
brings this ethos in abundance.
His flair and classical training,
coupled with his passion for
incredible Scottish produce,
makes for an exciting chapter
ahead for Number One.”
Mathew Sherry said: “I am
honoured to return to my home
city to head up the kitchen at
such an iconic restaurant and to
work with the many seasoned
professionals already here at
The Balmoral.
“The detail on each dish has
been carefully designed, from
sourcing seasonal ingredients to
the way they are displayed and
plated, everything has been
thoughtfully considered.
“I am thoroughly enjoying
working closely with Restaurant
Manager, Emma Lonie and her
established front of house team.
We will ensure that we continue
to deliver a truly special
experience for every guest.”
www.bit.ly/3uaEScE
Mathew Sherry
Maid of the Forth
THE SIGHTSEEING cruises on
Maid of the Forth from South
Queensferry are back.
Passengers can blow away
the cobwebs, enjoy the great
outdoors and enjoy music
onboard.
To ensure the safety of
passengers and crew, the
family-run business has
reduced capacity on each
sailing. Face masks remain
essential as well as prebooking.
It is only possible to
book through a ticketless
online system.
A 90-minute daytime
sightseeing cruise sails under
all three bridges and round
Inchcolm Island. The top deck
is ideal for spotting the marine
life such as grey seals,
porpoises, dolphins and the
occasional Minke whale.
The Maid’s 3-hour cruise
includes a 90-minute excursion
on Inchcolm where visitors can
ramble around the monastic
abbey, explore the trails and
relax on the beach.
Fizz on the Forth is a two
and a half hour cruise with live
music from multi-genre singer
Cailean McLean. Fizz on the
Forth sails on 24 July, 14
August and 18 September
(£28 per person).
Jazz Cruises on 16 July and 6
August cost £23 per person
with live music. The Folk Cruise
programme sails on 2, 9 and 23
July, 13 and 20 August, 3 and 10
September three hour cruise.
www.maidoftheforth.co.uk
or call 0131 331 5000
Made to last
The Polar opposite to throwaway fashion
Gemma Livingstone
A NEW EDINBURGH fashion start up
which launched in March is championing
the slow fashion concept, encouraging
people to buy fewer clothes and keep
clothes for longer.
Polar Bears & Navy was founded by
Edinburgh-based Gemma Livingstone, 35,
who left her job as a digital marketer at
Skyscanner to focus on designing clothes
from fabrics produced to high
environmental and welfare standards.
Gemma studied law at the University of
Edinburgh, but also worked in marketing
with Sainsbury's and Logicalware Ltd. She
hopes to increase awareness of the
dangers of fast fashion and the benefits of
buying garments made to last, and has
taken a stand at the UN Climate Change
Conference - COP26 - in Glasgow later
this year.
The business began by providing two
options - a British Wool Coat and a Merino
Wool Blazer. To make sure the garments fit
and are long lasting they are made in the
company's Edinburgh studio where
durability lies at the heart of the design.
Every coat comes with a lifetime repair
service or the company will help
customers find a local professional to help.
The range has now expanded with
women's tops, and a blush pink top
inspired by the Meadows blossom
trees will be available shortly.
Gemma said: “People are buying
60% more clothes than they did
just 15 years ago. The more
clothes we create, the more
natural resources we use,
whether that is animal fibre,
plants, oil or water - it’s not
sustainable.
“The biggest change we
can make in the fashion
industry is to encourage
each of us to buy less and
to keep what we do buy for
longer. By buying clothes
that will stand the test of
time, we can reduce the
pressures the current rate of
fashion production puts on
worker pay and conditions,
animal welfare, natural resources
and waste management.
“At Polar Bears & Navy we will always
use fabrics and materials that are
produced to high environmental and
welfare standards, and work closely
with fabric producers to ensure
traceability. Where possible, we
source from local businesses to
help them grow with us.
“This is something I have felt
passionate about for a while. So
while it can be daunting to
turn your passion into a
start-up, it has been a really
rewarding experience, and
I’ve been working every
available hour to fulfil orders
and respond to high levels
of enquiries since we
launched, so the demand
for slow fashion is
definitely there.”
To find out more, visit:
polarbearsandnavy.com