For episode three of our Christmas campaign, we sat down with chef Colin Anderson to explore the roots of his craft, the philosophy that shapes his food, and the momentum driving one of Glasgow’s most exciting restaurant communities. Known for bold flavours, unfussy precision, and a style of hospitality that feels both thoughtful and warm, Colin has become one of the West End’s most influential voices. From the depth driven cooking at Brett to the joyful spontaneity of The Caravan Shop, his projects have helped define what eating in Glasgow feels like today.
Colin shares his top tips for hosting this Christmas beautifully, from simple techniques to flavour packed festive cooking.
“I grew up cooking for the family. I was fed up with the childminder’s super noodles.”
“I grew up cooking for the family. I was fed up with the childminder’s super noodles.”
You’ve become one of the most recognisable figures in Glasgow’s culinary scene. What drew you into food, and how has that passion evolved?
I grew up cooking for the family. I was fed up with the childminder’s super noodles. I also worked on a fishing boat during school holidays on Colonsay. We would haul up creels, boil a crab or lobster straight on the boat, smoke mackerel. That connection between where food comes from and how it can be made delicious was what hooked me.
As I moved into professional kitchens, especially London, I learned discipline, standards and technique, but my passion shifted towards something more relaxed and rooted in people. Now everything I do is about cooking the food I want to eat, creating brilliant hospitality, and building teams who care about each other as much as the food.
How would you describe your food philosophy today? What defines a “Colin Anderson” dish?
Ingredient led, seasonal, technique driven, but never overworked. If there is a hallmark, it is big flavour, balance, heat, acidity, and sauces with depth. I love fire cooking, building layers with ferments and preserves, and using fat intelligently, chicken fat, lamb fat, brown butter, the things that linger on the palate.
A Colin Anderson dish feels familiar but not simple, comforting yet thoughtful. The sort of thing you want to eat again before you have even finished. I love when people ask, “How does that taste so good?” because it does not look complicated, but there is real depth behind it.
The Caravan Shop has a very different energy. What inspired it, and how do you balance it with Brett creatively?
The Caravan Shop is basically the place I always wished existed in the neighbourhood, somewhere you can drop into three times a week. A wine bar, a bottle shop, a tiny kitchen, and now The Cellar underneath, which feels like a Parisian cave à vin.
Brett is slower, deeper, and more structured. The Caravan Shop is spontaneous, fun, sometimes even a bit silly. They feed different parts of my brain, but the DNA is the same: good ingredients, proper cooking, and warm, relaxed hospitality.
“The Caravan Shop is spontaneous, fun, sometimes even a bit silly.”
“The Caravan Shop is spontaneous, fun, sometimes even a bit silly.”
Glasgow is often called one of the UK’s most exciting food cities. What is driving that momentum?
Ambition without pretension. Chefs here care massively about craft, but ego is not driving the food. People cook what they actually love, not what they think they should cook. There is also a huge culture of collaboration, sharing suppliers, advice, and equipment. It feels like a proper community pushing in the same direction.
What would surprise people outside Glasgow about its food scene?
How adventurous people are. Glaswegians love flavour, heat, acidity, smoke, funk, they are up for all of it. And there is a genuine appreciation for hospitality. People here notice the little things, the warmth, the care. They reward it by coming back.
How has the West End influenced your cooking or creativity?
The West End feels like a village. You get to know people, what they like to eat, when they like to eat it, and that genuinely shapes the way we cook. A lot of us, chefs, regulars, neighbours, are eating in the same restaurants, trying the same dishes, getting excited by the same things.
When you see a dish on someone else’s menu and the room is buzzing for it, you realise Glasgow is up for more than people might think. It gives you confidence to push boundaries. And the quality of produce arriving daily into West End kitchens now is incredible compared to years ago. That alone pushes you to raise your game.
Producers, shops or fellow chefs inspiring you right now?
Company Bakery for bread. The standards they maintain while scaling up are incredible. Anyone who has baked knows how hard that is.
My friend Daniel at Kudos Cafe in Finnieston inspires me too. He is not a trained chef or baker, but he is obsessed with improvement. His laminated pastries are brilliant, and knowing him, they are already better than the last time I tried them.
“Glaswegians love flavour, heat, acidity, smoke, funk, they are up for all of it.”
“Glaswegians love flavour, heat, acidity, smoke, funk, they are up for all of it.”
What does a festive menu look like in your home?
Honestly, pretty simple. Always something sparkling to start. Usually something seafood based like dressed crab or langoustines. A rib of beef over charcoal if I can get the BBQ going, loads of root vegetables and far too much sauce. Dessert is either cheese or a big apple tarte tatin, and then more fizz.
One simple technique to elevate a home cook’s Christmas meal?
Season in layers, do not leave it until the end. Salt early, baste constantly, rest your meat longer than you think, and brighten your sauces with vinegar or citrus at the last second.
And always serve more sauce than feels sensible.
Dream dinner guests?
Anthony Bourdain. I met him when I was 19 at The Kitchin, and he was everything you hoped he would be. A A Gill, sharp, funny, brilliant; watching him and Bourdain talk would be magic. Stanley Tucci, because the three of them talking about food while he pours the wine would be one hell of a night.
As our conversation wrapped up, it was clear that Colin’s approach to food is as much about people as it is about flavour, championing the community that continues to shape Glasgow’s vibrant dining culture. This Christmas, his advice is simple: season boldly, host generously, and above all, savour the moments around the table.