Annette Sprague – Vice Principal
Native Californian, Annette was classically trained and has more than 20 years of culinary experience. She quit a banking and finance career when she decided to train to become a chef. She went to the Cordon Bleu School in Sydney, Australia for the first two terms of the Diplome de Cuisine and then onto the London Cordon Bleu for the final term where she graduated with a Distinction.
Annette returned to San Francisco where she became a Private Chef in Silicon Valley to one of the angel investors for eBay. In 2002 she moved to Edinburgh, with her (at that point) future husband, who is Scottish. Annette started the high-end catering company, The Perfect Palate, which she ran for the next six years. Seeking her next challenge, Annette became Chef / Patron for Redwood Restaurant on St. Stephen Street in Stockbridge in 2008. After receiving excellent feedback from customers and restaurant critics, she moved on to opening larger premises as Redwood Bistro which was sold on in 2018. Annette uses the wealth of experience she has as a private chef, catering company owner and chef patron of a restaurant to help her students prepare for their future careers.
Favourite ingredients:
cumin, chilli, fresh coriander and citrus
Least favourite ingredients:
artichokes, radishes, red cabbage
Favourite thing to teach:
Sauces, Dressings and (non-conventional) Salads
