Salmon farmer set for publicity boost from Hebridean Baker

Scottish salmon farmer Loch Duart has announced a creative collaboration with TikTok star Coinneach MacLeod, known as The Hebridean Baker, who has created two recipes featuring the company’s fish for a new book.

Scourie-based Loch Duart, a relatively small producer with a big focus on marketing, invited Lewis native MacLeod to visit some of its farms in Uist to see the company’s small scale, low impact approach.

Following his visit, Loch Duart is sharing a series of films which feature MacLeod, whose Loch Duart salmon recipes which are included in his new book, Hebridean Baker: At Home, published this Thursday, October 12.

MacLeod, who has built up a large following on the TikTok social media platform, was Scotland’s best-selling cookbook author in 2021 and 2022 and represented the country in the World Porridge Making Championships 2021 where he took second place.

23 million views

According to an article in The Scotsman, MacLeod first used TikTok to post videos of him making traditional Hebridean recipe for his friends to enjoy and had no idea that they would end up being so widely watched.

Macleod is also a global brand ambassador for self-guided travel company Macs Adventure, which says that his “online adventures have been viewed over 23 million times across the globe, counting nearly 500,000 followers across his social media platforms”.

The cook said: “I’m passionate about using the best Scottish produce. Loch Duart salmon, born and raised in the Outer Hebrides, are bred from wild Scottish ancestors, meaning their fish are as close to wild as it gets. Slow grown, three months longer than average, the salmon are given lots of room to swim and to grow fit and healthy. It’s salmon farming at a much smaller scale.”

He added that the company’s feed, which is high in marine ingredient content, makes Loch Duart’s fish “taste amazing”.

Cooking qualities

Adam Gray, marketing and communications manager at Loch Duart, said: “This summer, we had the pleasure of hosting the brilliant Hebridean Baker, Coinneach MacLeod, at some of our Uist farms. He wanted to see how we raise his salmon of choice, our unrivalled Loch Duart salmon.

“Coinneach has now created two, bespoke Loch Duart Salmon recipes for his new book Hebridean Baker: At Home. The recipes showcase Loch Duart salmon’s exceptional cooking qualities and celebrate the Hebrides and Highland food and culture which inspire his cooking.”