Seaside savvy: Chef and restaurateur Dean Banks talks foraging, perfect days, and bringing the beach to Edinburgh

Your restaurant locations range from historic venues to more contemporary settings. What element links them all? 

A passion for showcasing Scottish food and produce. Sustainability is also massive for us, I love foraging, and not just for food. There’s a buzz to finding something discarded and transforming it into something new – lots of décor in Haar comes from old fishing nets and creels we found washed up on the beach. 

How do you make sure your seafood creations stay top-tier?

It’s all about the ingredients. We’ve built relationships with some of the world’s finest small producers, and they’re all on our doorstep. We collect fish, lobsters, crabs and so on direct from the boats so you cannot get fresher or better.

What do you recall being the most delicious meal of your life? 

My favourite restaurant in the world has to be a tiny, family-run spot in Portugal we go to time and time again. Simple, fresh, sensational food. The ultimate meal there would be their clams with pork, and garlic prawns.

What’s your hero seasonal ingredient for spring?

Wild garlic. I love it. It’s also what sparked my son Felix’s interest in foraging. He loves heading off with me to see what we can find, then seeing it on our menus that night.

Dishes at Haar, St Andrews

What plans do you have in the making for Dulse Leith?

We’ve just launched a new menu with a more beachy feel, inspired by the seafood shacks I love – on holiday, eating fresh seafood by the sea. Dune St Andrews has its own lobster roll shack, so we’re bringing that seaside vibe to Dulse Leith.

Describe a mini-perfect day in both St Andrews and Edinburgh.

Start with a walk on the beach in St Andrews, and getting that blast of fresh air first thing. Maybe I’ll dive for lobsters too. Then a bite at Dune or a snack at one of the great local businesses, like The Cheesy Toast Shack, Buck’s Bar or Dook. In Edinburgh I’d be off to watch the rugby and see our Hirundine Whisky partners smash it. 

What would we find you rustling up for a last-minute dinner guest?

Easy. Spatchcock chicken with roast veg, a nice salad from my garden and lovely homemade tandoori sauce. Fancy it?