Nalin’s Vision: Reviving Scotland’s Seafood Culture Through Cammies

In the quiet village of Cammachmore, just metres from the North Sea but far from the noise of busy tourist trails, a remarkable story is unfolding. At the heart of it stands a 70-year-old Sri Lankan man named Nalin — a former captain and master mariner — whose bold vision and deep-rooted passion for the sea has led to the rebirth of Cammies, a once-closed restaurant now emerging as a rare and vital voice for Scotland’s local seafood.

Nalin is not your average restaurateur. With decades spent at sea, navigating the world’s oceans, he has a unique respect for what the ocean provides. And now, in his seventh decade of life, he has chosen to take on one of his greatest challenges yet: opening a dedicated seafood restaurant in a region where seafood is surprisingly under-appreciated.

“When I looked around, I asked myself: why are so few people eating seafood here, when we are sitting right next to one of the richest marine ecosystems in Europe?” Nalin says. “Is it because fresh local catches are not available in the market? Or is it that people are simply not interested in seafood anymore? Either way, I wanted to change that.”

And so, Cammies was born again — not just as a restaurant, but as a mission.

Nalin’s kitchen is unlike any other in Aberdeenshire. At Cammies, guests can experience a wide range of North Sea catches — from the often-overlooked skate wings, brown crabs, Octopus, Sardines, mackerel and many more other fresh catches, to the theatrical presentation of whole fish, cooked with international flair. Drawing on his heritage and global travels, Nalin crafts dishes that celebrate local ingredients through diverse culinary traditions, turning humble catches into gourmet masterpieces.

Importantly, Cammies is more than just a place to eat. It is a centre for learning and community engagement. Nalin regularly hosts workshops, cooking demonstrations, and awareness programs, aimed at educating locals about the nutritional value, sustainability, and beauty of their own seafood — efforts he feels are sorely lacking from official bodies like Seafood Scotland or the Fisheries Ministry.

“In my view, Cammies is doing what they should be doing,” Nalin explains. “If we don’t educate people, if we don’t build awareness, we will lose this treasure. People must understand the richness of their own waters — the North Sea is a gift.”

But despite his relentless dedication over the past two years, Nalin’s efforts have largely gone unnoticed by local food and drink media. That hasn't discouraged him. With characteristic resolve, he continues, believing that minds will shift and hearts will open.

“People will come to love their own seafood again,” he says with confidence. “All the goodness is here — for their health, for the environment, for the community. They just need to rediscover it.”

In a world of fast food and convenience, Nalin’s approach may seem old-fashioned — or perhaps, visionary. His commitment to reviving Scotland’s seafood culture, one dish and one conversation at a time, is not just admirable. It’s essential.

Cammies stands as a lighthouse in the culinary landscape of the North East — quietly but powerfully reminding us of what’s just beneath the waves, waiting to be appreciated once more.