The City of Glasgow College and the Bronx-based Monroe University’s Culinary Institute of New York signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which enables the staff and students of both to work together to achieve the highest standards of culinary excellence.

Scotland’s national chef Gary McLean has joined students at a top culinary university in New York to mark a unique collaboration with one of Scotland’s top colleges.

The City of Glasgow College and the Bronx-based Monroe University’s Culinary Institute of New York signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which enables the staff and students of both to work together to achieve the highest standards of culinary excellence.

The US students joined Gary, 53, in the kitchen to cook a brunch menu using the finest Scottish ingredients for VIPs.

Among the delicious menu items was a poached salmon and herb caper saland and an outstanding Ecclefechan tart, which was Ecclefechan lovely.

Gary, who is executive chef at City of Glasgow College as well as travelling the world in his role as Scotland’s national chef, said: “We’re here at the Culinary Institute of New York in Rochelle, which is just north of the Bronx.

“It’s a school I’ve been working with for six years doing classes. It’s great relationship we’ve had and today we are partnering the two colleges for the benefits of students and staff.

“We’ve shipped in some amazing Scottish seafood. We have salmon and crab and langoustines so that the young chefs of New York are really understanding Scottish food and recipes.

“They will learn about our culture as well. You can learn so much about food.”

He added: “Where we are standing is one of the best culinary schools in the US. Dean Frank is probably the best competition coach in the whole of the USA.

“The benefits of this partnership is that we are sharing cultures and ideas. These guys could just as easily be working in Manhattan or Glasgow.

“It is the same for our City of Glasgow College students who could be over here in New York working in the future. For a young chef, that’s life changing.”

He added: “This school is a real mixed collection of students. They come in here and learn real skills.

“The students today I am meeting for the first time. Most of them are first years. I just love education whether it is Glasgow, New York or New Delhi, I get a buzz from educating people.”

The culinary institute’s, Dean Frank Constantino said: “Chef Gary and I made contact around the time of the pandemic. He did a virtual demonstration for us and then in 2021 he did a live demonstration of Scottish food and ingredients.

“Today, we are taking the next step in our collaboration agreement for the coming years. To mark the occasion Gary is today cooking with our students who are the top in the country.”

Student Mariella Romero, 20, from Maryland, said: “I came from a typical Hispanic household, my parents ran an electrical company and I just fell in love with food and this was always something I wanted to do.

“I won a scholarship to come here. I love cooking.

“I didn’t know about the collaboration with Glasgow until recently. It’s an amazing opportunity and I’m very excited.”

The event took place during a week that sees New York flooded with Scots who are taking part in the city’s Tartan Week celebrations.

First Minister John Swinney, Scottish Labour Leader, Anas Sarwar and Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray are all in the Big Apple as are pipe bands and a raft of entertainers for events ahead of the Tartan Week parade up 6th avenue on Saturday.