When the young Stuart MacBride decided he wanted to own a yacht, little did he know his future would involve plenty of work at sea, but none of it on a floating palace with his family name stencilled on the stern.
At 15 he was one of Scotland’s youngest qualified sailing instructors and went on to gain his master’s ticket at Glasgow’s Royal College of Science and Technology.
He then spent his first five years at sea, principally as an instructor, and among his pupils was Sheena – now his wife of more than 40 years.
Given an opportunity to take on a management trainee role, the Renfrewshire-born youngster landed in the catering supply division of Findus Fropack and realised that food was to be the passion which would consume him.
He said: “Having been bitten by the food bug, I worked evenings and weekends in various hotels and restaurants in Glasgow, including the Malmaison, studying in the meantime for my City and Guilds as a chef.”
In 1971, Mr MacBride was headhunted by Dutch consortium PSF, initially to become food services manager, and he then went offshore in 1975. His first installation was the Forties Bravo platform.
“At that stage I was camp boss, essentially hotel services manager, and these were the days of one week on, one week off, so you were working 18 to 20 hours each day. Thankfully, times have changed,” he said.
After several years working in Norway, he was made an offer which he believes completely changed his outlook on life and work.
“Peter Ryan, who is sadly no longer with us, gave me a piece of advice which formed the basis of the philosophy for the rest of my life and career. He told me that, whatever it was I wanted to learn, I could ask and he would teach me, and he did.
“He was a remarkable man, building himself from a background of absolutely nothing, to taking on the world.
“At 40, he was made operations director for Playboy Europe as they first began operating in London, with a club which at that time was principally a restaurant also featuring dancing and gambling.
“His commitment to helping others learn was inspirational, and I eagerly took him up on his offer. I moved to Saudi Arabia to work with him for a few months which turned into two years but, fulfilling as it was in his company, my family were still in Scotland and I returned.”
Mr MacBride arrived at French catering market leader Sodexho in the early-80s as commercial manager and rose to managing director during nine years with the company until Sodexho sold the UK, Holland and Norway businesses he was responsible for to SAS Service Partner, and he found himself out of a job. He said: “Trinity was born of unemployment, something I am always happy to talk about.”
It was a year before he was able to launch Trinity because of a non-competition clause in his contract with Sodexho. In the meantime he started up import-export business The Auld Alliance, dealing principally with France, and that business continues today.
He said: “Now 19 years on, I have had as many offers to sell Trinity. We have in the past built up companies in other locations and sold them on, but I enjoy what I do far too much; why would I sell up and retire?”
Established in 1990, Trinity International Services is now the largest independent catering firm in Scotland with an annual turnover of £13.8million, and a two-time recipient of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
Trinity, which has a global staff of 215 working in locations from Singapore to the Gulf of Mexico, with the North Sea in between, was successful in the International Trade category in 2003 and 2005. Mr MacBride says his staff are vitally important as “part of the Trinity family”.
Mr MacBride said: “I am still immensely proud that we were the first offshore catering contractor to achieve ISO 9002: Quality Assurance Accreditation in 1994 – when everyone told us there was absolutely no chance of even the largest catering contractors achieving it.
“I firmly believe in people and supporting them when they have an idea which, with a bit of guidance, they can develop into a major success.”
Years on from his days in the kitchen, Mr MacBride no longer considers himself a chef, preferring to think himself a “culinary disaster recovery expert”.
He focuses on making sure he gets the best from his staff, who he says are vitally important to the business, and enjoying the produce of some of the world’s finest exponents of cooking.
He said: “I often joke that my physique has been crafted by the finest chefs in the world. If I had to pick a chef to cook my last meal, Anton Mosimann would always get the call.”
The family’s taste for food extends to his youngest son, Scott, 37, who arrived six minutes behind twin Christopher, now a director at Trinity. Scott has been personal chef to the US ambassador to Ireland for 13 years.
Mr MacBride said: “We had the good fortune to meet Bill Clinton at Skibo Castle and we were asked if we would like to have our photograph taken with him, as Scott had already had that pleasure.
“Mr Clinton asked straight away how this had come about and, when I told him his position, he simply said, ‘Oh, you mean Scott’. That was quite a moment.”
His eldest son – also Stuart MacBride – is a successful crime writer.
Trinity has had its share of big appointments, the highlight of which was providing catering services at the royal garden party at Balmoral Castle, the final event of the Queen’s golden jubilee year.
Tradition has a huge part to play in Mr MacBride’s life and work – he is a staunch supporter of Highland games, so much so that Trinity sponsors the tug o’war competitions on the Grampian games circuit.
“It was a wonderful honour to be asked to be an honorary vice-president of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, as was being made chieftain of the Drumtochty Games this year.”
His affiliations and associations are many: secretary of the Order of St John, Burgess of Guild and Trade in Aberdeen and Burgess, Guild Brother and Freeman of Glasgow, Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, board member of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, vice-chairman of the Caterers’ Offshore Traders Association, and a director of the Grassic Gibbon Centre at Arbuthnott among others.
What car do you drive? Audi R8.
What gadget would you never leave home without? BlackBerry: it saves a lot of time as I can reply to e-mails during idle moments while in taxis or airport departure lounges.
What’s your favourite restaurant? Chez Jacqui, at Belon in Brittany, France, where the seafood is fresh and the chefs are magnificent. It is the home of the delicious Belon oyster.
Have you ever broken the law? You ask someone with an R8 that?
What or who makes you laugh? My staff regularly tell me of the fun they have had on their last offshore trip and often their tales are hilarious. One of these days, I will make the time to write them all down.
What’s your favourite book? Larousse Gastronomique: it is the most wonderful compendium of information on food and the ultimate reference work.
What’s your favourite film? The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
What’s your favourite singer/band? Mike Wheelan, a Scottish one-man-band whose music is absolutely amazing.
What’s your ideal job, other than this one? Author of crime fiction; just to wind up my eldest son.
What’s the best piece of business advice you have ever received? If you want to learn, ask and I will teach you.
Worst business advice? Always ask your accountant for advice.
What do you drink? Malt whisky and green tea, but not together.
How much was your first pay packet and what was it for? £12 as a sailing instructor at the Trossachs Hotel.
How do you keep fit? Looking at gymnasium equipment, also golf and shooting. Unfortunately I cannot ski any more, having undergone a total knee replacement.
What’s your most interesting habit? Growing my beard from the beginning of September until Christmas, so that I can be Santa. One of the most satisfying things you can do is to watch the face of a youngster when they receive a present from the “real” Santa. I have been privileged to play the role for some of our elderly citizens in hospital and their belief in Santa is total.
What’s your biggest extravagance? Buying jewellery for my wife. She has put up with me for more than 40 years and deserves a medal for her patience and unwavering support.
With which historical or fictional character do you most identify? Hagar the Horrible but most would say Santa was closer.
How would you like to be remembered? As a man of many parts, most of which fitted.
Year born: 1947.
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