Scottish catering and hospitality news in Scotland

Home House, a private members' club in Edinburgh, has enlisted the help of Martin Wishart (pictured) as consultant chef in the former Hallion club on Picardy Place.

Wishart's first dinner menu will commence on 5 February, with the lunch menu launching the following week. The Michelin-starred chef has already introduced several of his own chefs to the kitchen at Home House and over the next few months he will be recruiting and training more.

Home House manager, Stuart McMillan, said: 'With Martin we have one of the best chefs in Scotland to help deliver a fantastic menu to our Edinburgh members. His commitment to quality and his unique style are essential factors for us, and he has devised some truly excellent menus which reflect the refined yet relaxed essence of the club.'

In addition to offering exclusive recipes to members, Wishart will be hosting some of Home House's Gourmet Evenings, which give guests an opportunity to explore food, wine and spirits with tutored tasting.

The club offers members the opportunity to relax, dine, work and meet friends in a unique environment. As well as the restaurant, which serves an a la carte menu for formal dining at lunch and dinner, the contemporary bar serves a simple menu of soup and light bites for a quick or working lunch. There are also five distinctly designed bedrooms for members visiting the city.

The second of three regional cook-offs for the Scottish Food Scholarship took place yesterday at Ayr College. Eight contestants from Ayrshire too part to gain their place in the Scholarship final at ScotHot on 26 February. The three contestants chosen from the Ayr heat to go through to the final were: Derek Johnstone from Macdonald Crutherland House in East Kilbride; Savich Phannoi from Lochgreen House Hotel in Troon, and Iain Walker from Loch Lomond Golf Resort in Dumbartonshire.

The competitors, who were given a mystery box of Scottish ingredients and allocated a set time to create, cook and present a main course, were judged by Martin Wishart and Keith Braidwood.

The next semi-final will be held at Edinburgh's Telford College on 12 February, followed by the final on 26 February. The winner and runners-up will be announced at the awards ceremony at Tigerlily, Edinburgh, on the evening of 5 March.

Visit the Scottish Food Scholarship website for more info.

Toddlers will be telling the Head Chef of The Sisters restaurant in Glasgow what they think of her food in a daring taste test for children on 30 January. Jacqueline O'Donnell, who runs the family restaurants and has one child and a second on the way, is keen to encourage mothers to use home-grown Scottish produce in their children's diet. The award-winning chef is prepared to put herself on the line in an attempt to prove to mothers that preparing healthy meals for children does not have to be an uphill battle.

I had a family dinner party on Hogmanay with lots of children and I was horrified at the other mums who were still, at 18 months, feeding their children food out of supermarket jars,' she says. 'Although my daughter Jemma is only two, she was having a mini beef Wellington and I had to fight to stop her eating all the brussel sprouts off the table before the adults sat down. She has been eating cullen skink since day one and everything else that we eat just gets mushed up for her. This way I know she is eating fresh, healthy and untainted food that's ideal for a growing child.'

The award-winning Sisters restaurant in Kelvingrove is renowned for sourcing some of the best ingredients from all over teh country. Jacqueline works hard to bring a taste of the 'real Scotland' to the heart of the city, reflecting the seasons and the abundance of fresh and wild produce on the menus.

'A lot of families come to the restaurant regularly and we do not offer a children's menu at all. They get mini versions of the main menu and I don't bend the rules. If they want chicken nuggets and pizza they can go elsewhere. I am pretty confident that the kids will absolutely love the food we give them for the taste test and I hope it will encourage mums to use these kind of ingredients instead of spending money on convenience food from the supermarket.'

The Toddlers' Taste Test is at The Sisters Kelvingrove, 36 Kelvingrove Street, Glasgow, at 11am on 30 January. Mums and under-fives welcome.

Visit The Sisters website for more information.

Braehead Foods has averted a last-minute crisis for a Burns' Night dinner tonight in Boston. When VisitScotland was unable to export haggis to the USA due to restrictions on importing fresh products, Braehead managed to source haggis in Massachusetts for the launch of the campaign by VisitScotland and FlyGlobespan to promote the Scottish airline's new direct flight from Glasgow.

Braehead sourced the haggis to form part of a traditional Burns' supper to entertain over 100 leading US media and travel experts, as well as the Secretary for Scotland and the British Consul General, who will be attending the event tonight.

'We got a desperate call from VisitScotland trying to find haggis in America for this event,' said Alistair Maclean of Braehead Foods. 'We have a strong US client base to whom we export game and other Scottish produce, so we had good connections. Burns Rocks is a major event and excellent promotion for Scotland, so we were delighted to be able to help out.'

The event will promote Scotland as a destination, as well as the new direct flights between Glasgow and Boston. Joyce Falconer, who plays Roisin in the BBC soap River City, will be the star of the Burns' Night event. As well as her TV role, Joyce is one of the world's leading Burns exponents, and is renowned for her contemporary poetry and song.

Fiona Stewart at VisitScotland said: 'Braehead Foods were complete stars and we couldn't have done it without them. We encountered unexpected hurdles but the Americans love their Burns' Suppers so it was imperative we got hold of the main ingredient.'

Baguette Express, the Scottish-based sandwich shop group, will open its latest outlet in Bathgate on 3 February. The expansion will increase the number of its snack shops in Scotland to ten, following the launch of its franchise-based structure early last year.

Franchisee partners of the new Bathgate Baguette Express, David and Claire McMenigall (pictured) also own a baked potato shop in Edinburgh.

Established by brothers Robin and Billy Stenhouse in 1999 to provide an alternative approach to the expanding world of healthy snacking, Baguette Express has experienced continued success and now has outlets in Tranent, Galashiels, Hawick, Dalkeith, Musselburgh, Haddington and North Berwick, as well as two shops on Edinburgh's Lothian Road and Gorgie Road.

'Our aim is to be the recognised market-leader and the largest independent snack business in the UK within the next five years,' says Director Robin Stenhouse.

With a long-term goal to evolve into a global brand and grow the business by 50% within the first quarter of 2007, Baguette Express is already on track, with imminent plans to open another two shops in Kirkcaldy and Coatbridge, in addition to the landmark opening of their first shop in England later this year.

Glasgow Rangers took on the might of Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United and emerged victorious from a heated contest, topping the league with gold medals.

However, rather than football, this particular fixture was between their kitchen brigades at the Hospitality exhibition at Birmingham's NEC.
The competition was open to all chefs working at football stadia in the UK. The challenge, for a team of three chefs, was to prepare and cook a three-course meal suitable for lunch for their club Chairman and VIP guest.

Jav Aziz, Craig McElhiney and David Hoffman formed the Rangers line-up from Azure:

The final league places were:

1st Glasgow Rangers
2nd Newcastle United
3rd Wolverhampton Wanderers
4th Manchester United
5th Chelsea

Following a recent £1.1 million refurbishment, a new restaurant and cocktail bar is to open on Leith's dock next month (pictured). The former Maid of the Mist had lain derelict for five years before recently being resurrected. Cruz, as it has been christened, is set to become one of Edinburgh's choice venues for dinner, drinking and dancing.

General Manager, Steve Legget has seventeen years' experience in the industry and previously made his mark in many of George Streets establishments before moving to Leith. Head Chef, Eric Lionnet will be creating dishes which fuse traditional Scottish ingredients with a modern Mediterranean influence.

The Kitchin restaurant, which opened last June on Leith's waterfront, has won its first Michelin star.
The achievement is particularly satisfying for proprietor Tom Kitchen (pictured) , given that his establishment only opened three months prior to the Michelin's 2007 guide for Great Britain and Ireland going to print. At the age of 29, he is believed to be one of the youngest chefs ever to win the accolade.

'This is a wonderful start for The Kitchin and a tribute to all the hard work put in by everybody in the restaurant,' he says.' Winning a Michelin star is always a team effort and everyone at The Kitchin has worked very hard since we opened.'

The Kitchin reopened this week after Tom and his wife Michaela took a break for a delayed honeymoon after marrying last August.

The first cook-off for the Scottish Food Scholarship 2007 took place on 15 January at Aberdeen College. Eight contestants from Aberdeenshire, Perthshire and Invernesshire battled it out to gain their place in the Scholarship final which takes place at ScotHot at the SECC on 26 February. The three contestants chosen from the Aberdeen event are Tristin Farmer from Enverdale House Hotel, Perthshire, Nigel Liston from Alchemy, Dundee and Max Hogg from Monachyle Mhor Hotel, Perthshire

The competitors were given a mystery box of Scottish ingredients and allocated a set time to create, cook and present a main course.

The winner of the Scottish Food Scholarship will carry out a series of internships, working with some of the best in the food and catering world. This will include an internship with Martin Wishart at his eponymous Restaurant Martin Wishart, and a week's training and accommodation at the French ski resort Sainte Foy with luxury ski holiday provider, Premiere Neige, where the winner will receive the opportunity to expand their knowledge of French cooking. The winner's establishment will receive prizes including products from Graham's Dairies, Scotherbs and Barry Callebaut Chocolate. The runners-up will also receive prizes to include a Meat Master Class with Quality Meat Scotland.

The next Semi-final will be held at Ayr College on 29 January 2007, followed by the Edinburgh competition in mid-February before the final at ScotHot in Glasgow. The winner and runners-up will be announced at the awards ceremony at Tigerlily, Edinburgh on the evening of 5 March.

Visit the Scottish Food Scholarship website for more information.

Highland Game and Tesco have announced that their venison sales peaked during recent weeks highlighting the surge in demand for venison as part of the nation's healthy living this new year.
The Dundee-based company have experienced huge success over the last year, with sales for venison up over 40%. In the last six months they have signed contracts to supply Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons and Costco. These new retail contracts have marked an important strategic change for Highland Game, bringing their quality produce back into the domestic market.

This is a significant development for Highland Game and also the venison industry as a whole, and follows Highland Game's success at the recent Scottish Food & Drink Awards 2006, where the new Retail Range of Scottish Wild Venison scooped the award for Best New Product in Retail - Healthy Eating.
'We are delighted to have Highland Game working in partnership with The Scottish Executive to promote healthier eating in Scotland,' said Gillian Kynoch, Food and Health Coordinator for The Scottish Executive. 'It is exciting to see venison move out into the mass market alongside other meats, and Highland Game's new Retail Range is a valuable addition in making venison more available to the wider market'.

For more information, visit Highland Game online.

Book your place at the 18 - 30 Enterprise Show, 3 February 2007, SECC Glasgow
Need help getting your ideas off the ground? With a Business Gateway Start-Up Grant
of £1,000 you could soon be on your way to running your own business!
Are you tired of taking orders when you know you could do better
yourself? If you're determined to set up your own business, come along to the SECC on 3 February. If you're aged between 18 and 30, you might be eligible for a Business Gateway Start-up Grant of £1,000.

Starting your own business can be daunting, so we've put together a group of experts to help you every step of the way. All you have to do is come along to our FREE event and take the first step to the best decision you might ever make.

A day of advice and inspiration:
8.45 Registration with coffee and breakfast rolls
9.15 Motivational gurus' 'Tree of Knowledge' get the day off to a flying start
9.30 Break-out workshops: Selling; Business Planning; Market Research and Finance. You choose the workshops that interest you
11.00 Speakers
Curry king Charan Gill and PR guru Gordon Beattie will share their experiences of setting up in business.
11.30 Panel Session with local entrepreneurs
12.15 Lunch
13.00 Break-out workshops
Subjects include Selling, Business-planning, Market Research and Finance, and you'll have the time to take part in two workshops in this session
14.30 'Tree of Knowledge'
15.00 Close

Visit The Enterprise Show website for more information.

Business Gateway services are delivered by Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Executive and Local Authorities, with the support of associated partner organisations.

Fancy a night of wild dancing with the Ceilidh Band Teannaich, the Clan Ranald Boys sword-fighting, a four-course dinner, dram of Famous Grouse and a half bottle of wine? Then head on down to Orocco Pier in South Queensferry for 7pm.
Dinner will be served at 8pm, with carriages at 1am.

Dress code tartan: wear a little or wear a lot.
£29.95 per person.

Call 0131 319 3981 for more information.

The Hotel & Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) has announced that it is to change its name to the 'Institute of Hospitality', subject to approval by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

HCIMA members voted in favour of the change of name at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), held this week at the Dorchester Hotel, London.

Commenting on the decision, HCIMA Chief Executive Philippe Rossiter (pictured), said: 'The decision to change was taken following the results of the HCIMA's recent Strategic Review, which showed that 60% of members believed that the old name didn't accurately represent their role in the industry. This led to the creation of a Working Party to research and propose, with the support and approval of the HCIMA Executive Council, a new name that befitted the continually enhanced quality and image of the Association's work and membership services.
'Since the Association was formed in 1971, the definition of the hospitality, tourism and leisure industry has changed. It is more diverse, and so are our members. The new name reinforces the HCIMA's position as an education provider.'

If approved, it is hoped that the new identity will be launched in the spring, together with the new name and logo.

The family-owned Rufflets Country House in St Andrews, rated by the AA as one of the top 200 hotels in the country, has announced plans for the development of a new £1.3 million state-of-the-art conference and banqueting suite.

Featuring the latest technology with spectacular views of the hotel's 10 acres of award-winning gardens, the new Garden Suite will be the largest capital investment made by the current owners since they bought Rufflets in 1952.

Rufflets has already achieved the highest accolade possible from the Green Tourism Business Scheme for its operation of the hotel.
The Garden Suite will be completed by December and will boast 300 sq metres of floor space accommodating up to 150 delegates.

'The Garden Suite will have its own entrance and reception room and therefore will not interfere with the experience of our leisure guests who may be visiting for some peaceful rest and relaxation,' says Stephen Owen, General Manager of Rufflets.

Moy Park Foodservice has nominated Ben Bartlett, Master Craftsman for the Craft Guild of Chefs, as the Face of Menu Makers for 2007.

Menu Makers' online service provides free menu design for pub chefs, and allows users to personalise their menus by adding individual touches to both dishes and menu appearance for chefs with creative flair.

'There is a rea; need to refresh menus on a regular basis, and spring is the perfect time to review your menu and plan ahead for the next six months,' says Ben (pictured).

Bartlett, who has worked in the industry for more than 20 years, is also Catering Development Manager of Marstons Pub Company.

Visit the Menu Makers website for more information.

Two Edinburgh men have won a global food and sherry pairing competition in Spain. Kevin Sutherland and James O'Donnell (pictured left to right with judge Heston Blumenthal, centre) of Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel won the prestigious International Copa Jerez in the final of the International Copa Jerez 11 January.

For the first time on the international stage, Sherry Connoisseur James, and Junior Sous Chef Kevin, paired sherry with world-class Scottish cuisine. At 25 and 26 respectively, James and Kevin were the youngest international competitors and are typical of an up-and-coming generation experimenting with sherry and food.

The Balmoral Team was awarded its place at the international event in Spain after winning the national heat in London last February. The event in Jerez, organised by The Sherry Institute of Spain, was judged by leading Chef Heston Blumenthal and Juli Soler of El Bulli, recently voted The World's Best Restaurant. The event, which attracted competitors from the USA, Spain, Germany and Denmark, aims to discover talented sherry sous chef and sommelier duos, as well as encourage a younger generation of chefs to think about and create recipes to accompany sherry.

'The Balmoral boys prevailed by producing a menu that was attractive, daring and, above all, showcased the versatility of sherry,' said Blumenthal. 'They produced a series of dishes that were original and inspiring, proving that the classic Spanish wine appeals to a new, younger audience.'

Costco is to host a Warehouse Gastro Evening at its Aberdeen and Glasgow warehouses during February, similar to the one it held last year in Edinburgh.

The events are open to existing customers and any interested businesses from the catering community wishing to visit the warehouse to sample for themselves the meats, fine wines and fresh produce available.

A Scotch-Beef chef will be giving beef-cookery demos, while a wine expert will also be in attendance.

The Warehouse Gastro Evening at Aberdeen takes place on 5 February, while the Glasgow event is scheduled for 7 February, from 5pm to 8pm.

Interested attendees should contact Rocheen Maclean on 01224 745 560 for the Aberdeen evening, or Brian Murray on 0141 553 2200 for the Glasgow event.

Tristin Farmer from Enverdale House Hotel (pictured) in Perthshire has qualified for the final of The Scottish Food Scholarship (SFS) 2007. Tristin took part in the semi-finals in the Aberdeen cook-off yesterday and was announced as one of the finalists in the competition. Aberdeen College hosted the first of three semi-finals that will take place around Scotland before the final at ScotHot at the SECC on 26 February.

The SFS is a competition open to young chefs aged 18-28 and aims to nurture talent and open doors for the winning chef. The winner will carry out a series of internships, working with some of the best in the food and catering world, including an internship with Martin Wishart and a week's training and accommodation at the French ski resort Sainte Foy, with luxury ski holiday provider, Premiere Neige.
The runners-up will also receive prizes to include a Meat Master Class with Quality Meat Scotland.

Tristin was the runner-up in the Scottish Food Scholarship 2006, making him one of the best chefs in Scotland under the age of 26.

The Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) has confirmed that its 2007 Annual Conference, themed 'Diversity Equals Strength', will take place at Dunblane Hydro from 18-20 May.

'Our conference is all about sharing information and forging relationships away from the confines of the usual business environment,' says Kate Salmon, Executive Director of the SWA. 'However, we appreciate that many suppliers face different commercial pressures and are not always in a position to spend as much time away from the day-to-day operation of their businesses. We have responded to this and taken the decision to officially start the conference on Friday morning, although any suppliers wishing to join us for our informal Thursday evening as in previous years are very welcome and a competitive package is available.'

Speakers already confirmed include Stanley Morrice, the former MD of Aberness Foods who last year returned to the retail marketplace after acquiring McLeish Brothers, the independent Dundee-based delicatessen business. Morrice also sits on the board of Scottish Enterprise Grampian and is a non-executive director of Harris International Marketing.

Wholesale members taking the platform include Iain Hill, MD of Ayrshire-based Iain Hill Ltd; Bob Lamb, Regional Chief Executive of Brakes; and Colin Sangster, Sales Director of Sutherland Brothers of Wick.

SWA president Norman Wemyss, Business Development Director 3663 (pictured) , will give a presentation outlining the Association's key achievements since last year's conference, the challenges facing the SWA and its members, and the big issues affecting the wholesale industry in 2007.

'In addition to our high-profile business programme, delegates will also be able to enjoy a varied social programme which includes our formal Annual Banquet on the Saturday evening,' adds Kate Salmon.

Call 0131 556 8753 or email kate.swa@btconnect.com for more info on the conference.

Food writer and presenter Nell Nelson (pictured) picked the Castleton House Hotel in Angus to appear in her TV programme, The Woman Who Ate Scotland. Nell, who'll be filming there on 23rd January, will meet Castleton's Chef Andrew Wilkie and hotel owners David and Verity Webster to find out more about Castleton's home-reared Tamworth pigs.

Nell and a film crew will be in the Glamis area to sample some of the local culinary delicacies as she continues her tour of Scotland. The programme is a showcase for some of the best food Scotland has to offer.

Gleneagles Hotel has been voted 'Best Golf Resort' worldwide at the inaugural Luxury Travel Reader Awards 2007, designed to recognise and reward excellence in the travel industry.

Gleneagles is set in 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, and boasts three championship golf courses including the PGA Centenary Course, home to the Ryder Cup 2014.

'It's a tremendous honour to receive this accolade from our valued trade partners, who recognise the substantial investment we have made in our product,' says General Manager, Patrick Elsmie.

Leisure and lifestyle specialists, Profile Plus, have been tasked with handling the public relations for The Tourism Innovation Group (TiG).
The TiG is a private-sector led group which was formed in 2002, and aims to stimulate tourism operators into taking action to add to the quality, scope and success of tourism businesses.
TiG will hold its annual Tourism Innovation Day on 21 February, designed to inspire Scottish businesses to develop new products and services.
This year?s theme is collaboration and confirmed speakers include Tim Smit of The Eden Project and T in the Park organiser, Geoff Ellis.

TiG comprises a membership of over fifty tourism businesses across Scotland and is funded by key stakeholders in the Scottish tourism sector: Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland.

Darnley-based Ashoka at the Mill has won the Best Restaurant in Scotland category of the Cobra Good Curry Awards.
Operations Manager Rajesh Saraf was presented with the award at the ninth annual awards ceremony at the Hilton on Park Lane, London.
'I am particularly proud to receive this award against stiff competition, as it is chosen by Pat Chapman's Curry Club, Britain's first and foremost authority on Asian food,' Mr Saraf said.

The Cobra Good Curry Awards were established to recognise excellence across a wide variety of Indian sub-continent cuisine, from Pakistani to Sri Lanka.

Sue Lawrence and Martine Nouet yesterday announced the last call for written entries in the inaugural Spirit of Speyside Chef of the Year competition.
Open to both professional and amateur chefs, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival(3-7 May 2007) has launched this prestigious competition to celebrate the unique marriage between the Speyside's famous Single Malt whiskies and the region's fresh produce.
Free to enter, participants need only fill in a brief entry form which can be downloaded from the Spirit of Speyside website.
The closing date for all entries is Monday 22 January 2007.

Pictured: Richard Paton, Head Chef of Hudson's Hotel & Bar in Edinburgh, with food writer Sue Lawrence & Martine Nouet, Chair of the Spirit of Speyside Chef of the Year competition

Ardanaiseig has been nominated as the Most Romantic Hotel in Scotland in the 2007 Scottish Hotel of The Year Awards for the second year running.

The four star Argyll country house hotel, which won the same award in 2006, has once more been nominated by the public and the Scottish Hotel Awards' judging panel for its 'unique romantic charm'. Ardanaiseig has also been nominated as one of the best wedding venues in Scotland.

'We have been working on our romantic assets since last year, completing the Boat Shed in May,' said General Manager, Peter Webster. 'The Boat Shed provides solitude and escapism, and is ideal for those who want some quality time together in unique surroundings.'

Over the last ten years, owner Bennie Gray has worked with Peter to restore the property both internally and externally. The restaurant, which serves fresh seafood and local game, was nominated one of the best five restaurants in the Highlands by The Herald, and Head Chef Gary Goldie won the Medaille d'Or at the Scottish Hotel Awards in 2005.

The People's Restaurant Group Ltd, and Little Chef Ltd have been passed into administraion. The sale of the business and assets is being handled by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who were appointed on 3 January. The Group operates a chain of 235 restaurants throughout the UK under the trading name of Little Chef, which is one of the UK's most recognised brand names.

Little Chef was acquired in October 2005 by The People's Restaurant Group, and has incurred significant losses since the acquisition despite a two-month marketing process. The directors have been unable to find a party to re-finance the Group and the extent of its liabilities meant that administration became inevitable.

Following negotiations with interested parties, the joint administrators concluded a sale of 196 of the Group's restaurants to a newly formed company funded by turnaround specialists, R Capital Ltd.

The joint administrators will review the future of the restaurants not included in the sale over the course of the next few days.