Shirley Spear

Shirley Spear is the Co-Founder of The Three Chimneys, Scotland’s iconic, 5-Star Restaurant with Rooms in the Isle of Skye. She and husband Eddie bought the restaurant in 1984, making the move to their new way-of-life business with their young children. They had no previous, professional experience in their adopted trade, but together worked towards building the business as it is known today, 30 years later. Shirley was born in the Borders’ town of Peebles and grew-up in Edinburgh. She moved to London to pursue her career in journalism, where she met and married Eddie. She stepped back from her role as Head Chef in 2005, having achieved many awards and accolades including 3 AA Rosettes for food, plus worldwide recognition for her use of fresh, local ingredients of all kinds and acknowledging Scotland’s best-loved traditional dishes. She continues to play a leading role in running the business, while pursuing her passion for tourism and hospitality more widely. Currently she is Ambassador for Food and Drink for the Highlands and Islands. In February 2015 she was invited to Chair the new Scottish Food Commission on behalf of the Scottish Government, tasked with building Scotland into a Good Food Nation.