A taste of Scotland

The 247-bedroom Caledonian Hotel, Edinburgh, has a reputation for its breakfasts - in fact last year it was named Breakfast of the Year in Egon Ronay's Hotel and Restaurants guide.

So the hotel's executive chef, Tony Binks, who is responsible for two restaurants with a total of 190 seats, takes the "graveyard" slot seriously. "It's the only time I get to feed every guest in the hotel," says Binks, adding that about 80% of guests opt for a full-cooked breakfast.

Binks originates from Hartlepool, Cleveland, but has nevertheless become a keen promoter of Scottish produce. Although he does not always find it cost-effective to use local producers, he will try to use them where possible. "I like to use producers who are passionate about their work - it shows through in the end product."

Although Binks used to make most products, such as sausages, in-house, he finds he is increasingly contracting out this work to suppliers. Binks buys sausages from Dalzell & McIntosh in Edinburgh, which produces pork sausages with a particularly high fat content, and buys salmon smoked with orange and cinnamon sticks from Summer Isles Foods.