An open and candid conversation with Irvine Welsh about his life and work, the legacy of Trainspotting and his favourite places in Glasgow.

We chatted ahead of the premiere of new documentary film Reality Is Not Enough about his work, career and daily life.

Irvine Welsh is at a crossroads in his life. After finding huge success with several film adaptations and six million books sold worldwide, he has become acutely aware of his mortality. Now, with his hedonistic days drawing to a close, join the outspoken author as he takes on a wild new journey that explores the boundaries of consciousness through a hallucinogenic trip.

This captivating piece of autobiographical filmmaking combines intimate observational footage, rare archive film clips and readings from his novels narrated by Liam Neeson (Batman Begins, Star Wars), Maxine Peake (The Theory of Everything, Shameless), musician Nick Cave, Ruth Negga (Ad Astra, Passing) and Stephen Graham (Adolescence, The Irishman).

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Midge Ure grew up in Cambuslang and started out in Glasgow bands as a teenager in the late 60s before going to London to follow his dreams, becoming a key member of Ultravox after gaining attention with Salvation, later Slik, in 1974. Displeased with Slik’s direction, he joined the punk-pop group Rich Kids, led by former Sex Pistol bassist Glen Matlock. After their only album in 1978, Ure briefly joined the Misfits before forming Visage, leaving to replace Gary Moore in Thin Lizzy. He then joined Ultravox in 1980, driving their mainstream success and working as a producer. In 1985 he led the Live Aid concerts with Bob Geldof that became a global phenomenon.

I spoke to Midge about Glasgow, synthesisers and Crolla’s ice cream.

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Born and raised in Glasgow, Paul Donnelly realised at an early age that all he wanted to do was cook. He decided to attend culinary school at Glasgow Metropolitan College while working at Cameron's Restaurant and staging at Gordon Ramsay’s Amaryllis. Upon graduation, Donnelly set off for a culinary adventure in Sydney.

The first job he landed there was on the wok at Japanese restaurant Ivy Teppanyaki, followed by Sailors Thai. In 2010, Donnelly interned with David Thompson at the Bangkok location of Nahm. He then returned to Sydney to work as head chef at Ms.G’s under the tutelage of the award-winning Vietnamese chef and restaurateur Dan Hong.

In 2016, longtime friend Eddy Buckingham approached Donnelly about opening a Chinese restaurant in Manhattan. By the time Donnelly arrived, he had no suppliers and almost no staff, only a menu and a sous chef. They opened Chinese Tuxedo two weeks later inside a historic Chinatown opera house and it has become one of lower Manhattan's most celebrated restaurants.

We spoke to Paul about his life in the kitchen.

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