Independent shopper: Kevin Dalgleish, Amuse

Amuse is a refined, yet relaxed dining experience in the heart of Aberdeen City, with menus that highlight the best local and regional Scottish produce available from land to sea, and a touch of classic French flavours.

It was really important to me to bring something new to Aberdeen. It’s my home and I’ve seen it change so much over the last few years, and I recognised a huge opportunity to breathe new life into the hospitality industry in the North-East and bring something a bit special to the table.

We have the privilege of having some of the country’s finest producers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, so designing menus is always a joy.

I like to focus on local availability to showcase the very best to diners, and fish is something I have threaded throughout my menus. Given our location, it would be silly not to take advantage of what’s on the doorstep.

I work closely with suppliers like my fishmonger, Blue Flag Seafoods at the Peterhead Fish Market, to source monkfish and halibut, and Murray McBay in Montrose for crustaceans – they now have the incredible Lobster Shop.

The menu changes almost weekly to reflect availability which keeps it exciting for our diners. Building personal relationships with my suppliers is something I take great pride in, and I’ve been working with both suppliers for many years now.

When it comes to meat, Gordon McWilliam is the best of the best for beef and lamb. He works with selected premium farms around the North East for restaurants and he never disappoints.

Although we do work with some bigger suppliers, I love to work with small, local family businesses like Katy’s Eggs in Banchory. Katy and her husband Dougie started their business just over 10 years ago and it’s a good feeling to be able to support small independent businesses like theirs over the years. You can buy their eggs in a fantastic shop called Nature’s Larder which also sells organic vegetables from nearby Lembas Organics in Stonehaven.