Wizard chef Fiona celebrates 30 years of Falkirk pub grub magic

Or she would be if she wasn’t preparing to serve up more of her locally-famous pub cuisine to legions of adoring fans.

Between yesterday and today the Tolbooth has been selling dishes at 1989 prices, to mark the year when Fiona - newly appointed cleaner - was dramatically promoted to run the catering side of the operation.

“It was a complete accident and a lucky chance that led to me cooking here in the first place”, Fiona said today, “but I’ve never looked back”.

Pub food was in its infancy in the late 80’s, and virtually unknown in most mainstream pubs - so Fiona’s hugely popular repertoire of “pub classics” helped the bar make a name for itself from the word go.

Fiona’s cleaning job didn’t last long when management found she was a wizard chef, and three decades later she is still using exactly the same recipes she perfected all those years ago.

“I’ve really enjoyed celebrating those years”, she said today. “There have been all sorts of cards, flowers and good wishes - and lots of good memories shared with everyone connected with the pub.

“We always stuck with what we were good at and what people actually wanted, and have never tried to go down the ‘fancy’ route - and our favourites are as popular, maybe even famous, as ever!”

Meanwhile customers old and new have been enjoying Fiona’s pub classics at 1989 prices, an offer introduced yesterday which is being repeated today - a full meal for £6 that has made many customers nostalgic for the good old days.

However Fiona steadfastly refuses to disclose what gives her dishes that extra edge on more average fare - after keeping that closely-guarded secret for 30 years she’s not about to spill the beans now.

She agrees much has changed since the 80’s - most would agree bars are more female-friendly, smoking has been outlawed, and virtually all pubs have some kind of food offer.

With lunchtime approaching, habitual Tolbooth Tavern diners will already be asking themselves the same decades-old question - steak pie or macaroni?