Edinburgh Food Academy Appoints New Head Teacher Aisha Elshani Edinburgh 2026

Key Points

• The Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy has appointed chef and culinary educator Aisha Elshani as its new Head Teacher.
• Formerly the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School, the institution rebranded in March 2026 to widen its reach across national and international markets.
• Elshani spent nearly eight years as a culinary arts lecturer at Edinburgh College prior to her appointment.
• Her industry experience includes roles at Heritage Portfolio, Victor & Carina Contini Restaurants, and The Torridon Hotel.
• Elshani was hired to oversee the expansion of EFDA’s professional diplomas, recreational classes, school partnerships, and corporate events.
• Chief Executive Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne described 2026 as a “pivotal year” for the academy as it expands its offerings.

EDINBURGH — (Edinburgh Daily) September 3, 2026 – As reported by Rose Moncur of The Herald, experienced culinary professional Aisha Elshani has taken over the post of Head Teacher at the Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy. Ms Elshani joins the institution following an extensive tenure within both the commercial hospitality sector and higher education culinary teaching.

Prior to joining EFDA, Ms Elshani served for nearly eight years as a culinary arts lecturer at Edinburgh College. In that position, she was responsible for delivering professional culinary training and managing students working in the college’s public-facing commercial cafés and dining rooms. Her background in the commercial sector encompasses key operational roles with established Scottish hospitality brands, including venue caterers Heritage Portfolio, Italian dining group Victor & Carina Contini Restaurants, and the luxury boutique resort The Torridon Hotel.

What is the strategic focus of the Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy following its rebranding?

According to coverage published in The Herald, the leadership change comes shortly after a major structural shift for the organization. The academy originally operated as the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School before completing a full rebrand to the Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy in March 2026.

The transition was designed to reflect the school’s broadened strategic vision, moving beyond traditional regional cookery tuition to address wider food and drink industry requirements across the United Kingdom and global markets. Alongside its flagship intensive culinary diploma qualifications, EFDA runs recreational classes for various age demographics, commercial corporate team-building events, and private venue hires. Graduates of the institution have secured roles in Michelin-starred establishments, founded independent food enterprises, worked as private chefs, and established careers within food media and publishing.

What statements were made by the academy’s executive leadership regarding the appointment?

As reported by Rose Moncur of The Herald, Aisha Elshani outlined her educational approach, stating: “I have always been passionate about creating a food industry that is as encouraging and welcoming as possible to existing and new talent, so I’m delighted to take on the role of Head Teacher at EFDA and be able to support emerging chefs to complete professional qualifications.”

Addressing her commercial philosophy, Ms Elshani added: “Throughout my career, I’ve gained experience working in hotels, venues, cafes, and restaurants in a variety of roles. The result is a sharp focus on the importance of cooking from scratch, using high-quality ingredients from good suppliers, and leaning on seasonal produce to create menus that are inspiring and provide a modern twist on traditional dishes and flavours.”

In the same report, Chief Executive Officer Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne commented on the strategic importance of the hire, stating: “This has been a pivotal year for us at EFDA, from rebranding to launching new professional courses, a wide choice of interest classes, and valued partnerships with schools and businesses.”

Outlining the collaboration moving forward, Ms Bruce-Gardyne stated: “I’m looking forward to working with Aisha in her role as Head Teacher to develop our offering. Combining her incredible cooking and baking skills with her zest for the industry and supporting those in it, I’m sure Aisha will bring her own ideas and techniques to support our continual growth and the community’s passion for freshly prepared good food.”

Background of the Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy development

The recruitment of Aisha Elshani follows an operational evolution at the Edinburgh educational centre. Founded as the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School by culinary educator Fiona Burrell, the institution built a reputation over more than a decade for delivering classical cooking tuition in the heart of Scotland’s capital.

In recent years, the school experienced a succession of structural updates. Entrepreneur and food scientist Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne—founder of Genius Gluten Free—assumed the role of Principal/CEO. Under her direction, the business initiated a transition from a traditional cookery school into a culinary hub designed to service wider food industry demands. This strategy culminated in the March 2026 rebranding as the Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy.

The hiring of Ms Elshani represents the formalization of EFDA’s post-rebrand academic leadership. Having previously transitioned from former leadership under Fiona Burrell through interim head teacher appointments, the academy has now anchored its teaching division with an educator who holds dual experience in high-volume public college lecturing and high-end Scottish hospitality operations.

Prediction: How this development will affect culinary students and the Scottish hospitality industry

The appointment of Aisha Elshani and the expansion of the Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy are likely to deliver direct outcomes for two primary demographics: prospective culinary students and the broader Scottish hospitality trade.

For culinary students and career changers, Ms Elshani’s background at Edinburgh College introduces a structured, qualification-focused approach to private culinary training. Students enrolling in EFDA’s professional diploma and certificate programs can expect a curriculum that combines fundamental classical techniques with modern, production-focused skills required in modern commercial kitchens. Her emphasis on ingredient provenance, zero-waste scratch cooking, and seasonal menu assembly will directly align training with modern consumer demands in sustainable dining.

For the Scottish hospitality market—which continues to face skilled labor shortages across kitchen departments—the scaling up of EFDA’s professional programs creates a more direct pipeline of workforce-ready kitchen talent. By offering intensive, career-focused courses overseen by an educator with direct connections to commercial venues, regional restaurants and hotels can expect graduates who transition more rapidly into professional line-cook and chef-de-partie roles. Additionally, EFDA’s expanded business-to-business partnerships and leisure classes are set to increase engagement with local food producers, strengthening the supply chain visibility for regional Scottish food and drink brands.