Paul Wedgwood invited to lead caterers at Celtic event in Barbados

HE has satisfied the palates of thousands of diners across the Capital at his restaurant.

Now, Paul Wedgwood is set to swap the Royal Mile for Barbados after being selected as the head chef for this year's Celtic Connections Barbados festival.

The annual music and food festival, which takes place in May, celebrates the links between the Caribbean island and Celtic countries.

Mr Wedgwood, who owns Wedgwood the Restaurant and lives in Leith, was selected by the festival organisers to help with the catering for the event, which is expected to attract between 500 and 1000 visitors.

The 36-year-old will work with Bajan chefs to create lunch and evening menus and will prepare the meals at several hotels during his stay, including the Atlantis and the Hilton.

He will also work with street vendors at the hugely popular Oistins Fish Fry, where everything from tuna to flying fish is cooked in front of customers.

The Scottish dishes that Mr Wedgwood creates will be prepared using local Bajan ingredients, with each restaurant having a different menu.

Among the treats on offer will be a Bajan version of haggis, neeps and tatties, using Barbados Blackbelly sheep, sweet potatoes and breadfruit as a replacement for the neeps.

He will also prepare cullen skink using Bajan ingredients.

Mr Wedgwood even plans to go foraging for wild ingredients with the owner of a flower forest, including edible flowers, herbs and citrus fruits.

He said: "I jumped at the chance to go to Barbados. The chance to work in a completely different environment alongside some really great chefs seemed like a good thing for me to do. I'm really excited."

Carol Anderson, 53, who co-organises the festival, invited Mr Wedgwood to be a part of the celebrations after visiting his restaurant.

She said: "Paul is an amazing chef. I took the vice- president of the Barbados Tourism Authority to the restaurant when she was in Edinburgh and she was just bowled over by what he could do."

Around 25 events are planned for the festival, which started in 1996.

Mr Wedgwood, who will be the only other chef working with the local chefs during the event, will also prepare food for a private concert for 60 people at St Nicholas Abbey on the island, at which Scottish folk singer Eddi Reader and her band will perform.

As well as pipers and drummers, Celtic rock band Killin Thyme and Sandra Macbeth and the Shoogle Sisters will entertain the crowds during the festival, along with other acts.