Scottish catering and hospitality news in Scotland

Peter Lederer CBE, Managing Director of Gleneagles, has been appointed as first President of the Institute of Hospitality (formerly HCIMA). Lederer (pictured) will take office near the end of May after the HCIMA's official name change to the Institute of Hospitality.
'I am pleased that a man of Peter's vast experience and reputation will be the first President in our new era as the Institute of Hospitality,' said HCIMA Chief Executive, Philippe Rossiter. 'The fact that he is committed to improving quality, educational standards and training opportunities within the hospitality and tourism industries, will be an enormous boon to the Institute and its membership.'

Schools are being urged to teach children the values of healthy eating in support of this year's Scottish Food Fortnight (SFF). Organisers are suggesting a range of options to encourage participation from as many schools as possible across the country.
SFF is actively encouraging schools to incorporate cookery and local food lessons into their curriculum during the fortnight of events in September.

Ideas include:

Organise day trips to local farms to see what is grown and produced locally

Hold a Harvest Festival, where each pupil has to bring in an item of food from the countryside

Introduce a traditional and locally sourced Scottish menu for school dinners for the fortnight

Invite a local chef to do a cookery demonstration

Organisers have welcomed interest from some local Scottish schools who are teaming up with award-winning chefs in the area for small cookery demonstrations and child- friendly cookery lessons. In 2006, children from Dalmuir Out of Schoolcare recorded a CD of songs about food, and children from Glamis Primary helped prepare and present the first partridge of the season to Food Minister Ross Finnie at the Scottish Food Fortnight launch.

Scottish Food Fortnight was established in 2003 to raise awareness of the quality and variety of food and drink on offer in Scotland, and to change the habits of what we eat and where we buy it. Producers, retailers, restaurateurs, farm shops, farmers' markets and hoteliers across Scotland participate in the fortnight to promote and celebrate Scottish produce. The event has already gained the support of Michelin-starred chefs including Gordon Ramsay, Tony Borthwick, Martin Wishart and Nick Nairn.

Scottish Food Fortnight 2007 will be launched at Scotland's Countryside Festival in Glamis Castle, from 1st September until 16th September 2007.
To participate or to find out more details of events in your area, visit the Scottish Food Fortnight website

Reload salad and juice bars are opening a store in East Kilbride on 7th April, offering fresh salads, sandwiches, wraps and juices made to order.
Already a successful healthy food franchise, Reload originated in New Zealand and has been revolutionising the fast-food market in the southern hemisphere since 2001.
Manager Nadia Sorbie and franchise-holder Keith Stark aim to open twelve stores in the Glasgow and Edinburgh area and then roll out across the rest of the UK and Ireland with a mix of franchised and company-owned stores.

Tristin Farmer from Enverdale House Hotel in Perthshire (pictured) is taking part in a charity dinner event on Friday 23rd March at Dundee's young persons' activity centre, The Shore, to raise money for the venue. The Shore provides a range of opportunities in partnership with young people, focussing on visual arts, music and media. Tristin, as one of Scotland's best chefs under the age of 25, is looking to pass on some of his experiences to the participating teenagers.
Twenty-two young people have stepped forward to join him, including chefs, waiting staff and bar staff.

For tickets and further information, contact The Shore on 01382 435 435.

Beanscene coffee and music houses has launched a recruitment drive for its expansion programme throughout Scotland.
With a range of mid-management and supervisory positions available in Glasgow, Stirling, Edinburgh, Ayr and St Andrews, Beanscene has extended an open invitation to anyone looking to kick-start a new career in management to get in touch.
There are currently 13 Beanscene stores throughout Scotland, and the growth strategy is to open up to 45 stores over the course of the next three years.

'This recruitment drive represents a great opportunity for anyone with a genuine passion for delivering consistently outstanding customer service to kick-start a rewarding career in management, said Beanscene founder.

Interested applicants should email recruitment@beanscene.com

A Scottish school and two schools in England have been named as the three finalists in McDougalls Healthiest School Food Award 2007. Cuiken Primary in Midlothian, Balby Carr Community Sports College in Doncaster and The Heys Primary in Lancashire earned their places in the final after three rounds. Since then they have been tested on every aspect of healthy eating, with menus being nutritionally analysed, judges looking at marketing initiatives that promote healthy eating, and assessing how each school approaches the subject outside of the dining hall.

Cuiken Primary focusses on healthy eating and hygiene and as a result the school boasts a high awareness of good food and healthy hygiene practices.

All three schools will be invited to the ASSIST AGM in Scotland on April 24th, where each one will be awarded either healthiest menu, most innovative marketing initiative to promote healthy eating, or best holistic approach to healthy eating, as well as £500 each. One will also receive the McDougalls Healthiest School Food Award, plus an additional £1,500 to be invested back into healthy eating initiatives.

Ayr College (pictured) has been announced for the Nestlé Toque d'Or Grand Finals, along with Blackpool & The Fylde College, City of Bristol College and North Devon College.

The Grand Finals take place at Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies on 24-27 April, where each team will have just one day to turn their 'Place To Eat' concept into a reality, taking ownership of their restaurant, they will prepare, cook and serve 100 covers to members of the paying public.

The successful team will receive a place on the study tour at Johnson & Wales University in North Carolina, USA, and the winning team's college and each of the three runners-up will receive catering equipment for their institution.

After 20 years with Sodexho/Gardner Merchant, Peter Joyner is moving to Elior UK to take up a new position as Executive Chef in the Food Concept Team.

Having spent six years competing internationally with the Scottish Culinary Team, Peter (pictured) was awarded the Craft Guild of Chefs' Competition Chef Award, and is now a permanent member of their judging team.

'I have known Peter for many years and am absolutely delighted that he has decided to join us,' says Ian Styles, Director of Marketing. 'He brings a wealth of experience, is hugely respected in the industry and will help us to further enhance our reputation for excellent food and great chefs'.

A reciprocal trade agreement between Edinburgh-based Wine Importers and Malcolm Cowen Ltd will result in a substantial increase in the availability of Tullibardine's range of Highland Single malt whiskies throughout England and Wales.
Tullibardine, one of the few remaining independently owned distilleries in Scotland, will see increased distribution routes of their whiskies direct to their target markets, including retailers and on-trade business.

'The agreement will strengthen our presence in England, and we will benefit from their knowledge and extensive customer base in the UK whisky market,' says Michael Beamish, Director of Tullibardine.

The Scottish Tourism Forum (STF), which organised the events to raise awareness of the importance of tourism to the Scottish economy and to enhance links between private sector operators and the elected and public sectors, have noted key messages which emerged from the week.
Businesses in many parts of Scotland are concerned that the engagement with VisitScotland is not as good as it could be and that many businesses are losing confidence with VisitScotland in their area. Delegate feedback from meetings during the week included this comment: 'The relationship has changed from a business to business level to that of being simply sold marketing deals.'

Alan Rankin, Chief Executive of Scottish Tourism Forum, said: 'This is a message that we are getting from many parts of Scotland and, when added up, is a great concern to STF. I have written to VisitScotland on these matters and can confirm that a meeting is scheduled to discuss this issue as a matter of urgency. In addition we are also picking up concern over local business development partnerships being further undermined due to the uncertainty over the future of Scottish Enterprise?s Business Gateway offices.'

Concern has also been voiced over the effectiveness of VisitScotland.com. Rankin added: 'Industry concerns over VisitScotland.com have been well documented of late and STF are supportive towards the new suite of products being launched by VisitScotland.com towards the end of April. It is hoped that these new products address many of the concerns voiced by small businesses regarding commission rates and advertising listings on the national e-portal.'

The Scottish Tourism Forum remain concerned that as VisitScotland and VistiScotland.com are so closely linked, that dissatisfaction with either party generates an overall negative feeling towards the national tourism agency and our national web portal, and that this is not contributing to better collaborative working.

Industry feedback highlighted the issue of sharing market intelligence between businesses and between VS and the industry, all of which should contribute, it was felt, to 'smarter marketing' and more advised decision making around better joined up marketing campaigns. The TFFC has recognised this and has established a Tourism Intelligence Unit that has met with an industry based Tourism Research Network with the express objective of making market intelligence more readily available and up to date. Businesses are also keen to share customer feedback information in order to measure customer satisfaction levels.

During Scottish Tourism Week 2007 the Minister for Tourism attended three events and over forty MSPs signed up to attend the industry reception at Holyrood. The main political parties participated in a lively Tourism Hustings event where forum members were heartened by the recognition shown by the MSPs to the Scottish Tourism Forum's Manifesto, 'Profitable growth for a sustainable future'. Over 25 MSPs, MPs and Councillors signed up to the Politicians' Challenge and met with tourism businesses to better understand the issues and challenges facing the industry and many more indicated a willingness to go out and meet with tourism businesses in their area in the coming weeks.

The latest research from MINTEL shows that sales for meat such as venison, pheasant and grouse soared 46% between 2004 and 2006, to reach £57 million last year. Meanwhile, everyday red-meat and poultry markets are growing by no more than 5% over the same two-year period.
'The market for game is growing strongly as we increasingly look for alternative flavours that fit with our renewed interest in good quality food,' says David Bird, Senior Market Analyst at MINTEL. 'But game also has a surprising fan in health- conscious Brits. These meats are low in fat and cholesterol but are still full of flavour and this healthy image is definitely helping to boost sales, especially among women.'

Looking to the future, the popularity of game shows no sign of abating, with sales set to increase by a further 47% to hit £84 million by 2011.

Taking almost half of game sales, venison is the biggest single success. Pheasant, partridge and grouse make up almost a third (31%) of game sales, while 'other game', such as hare and wild boar complete the sector with 22% of sales.

'Today's growing concern about the environment and the negative impact of mass- produced food is changing the types of food we buy, with many of us opting for food that is organic, locally sourced or bought from a farmers' market,' says David. 'As game is wild and natural, this market is perfectly placed to take full advantage of this trend.'

Prima Hotels has appointed Keith Masters as General Manager of its Royal Terrace Hotel in Edinburgh. Keith (pictured) joins as the hotel nears completion of a £5.2 million refurbishment. He has extensive experience of hospitality management and has worked with Marriott, Le Meridien, De Vere and Alternative Hotel group, owners of the Malmaison chain.
'Prima Hotels may be a small group but it has big aspirations and acquisition plans, and an impressive track record,' he says. 'I believe the secret of great hotels is in consistency of service, and my priority is to ensure that everyone at the Royal Terrace Hotel feels part of a successful team that is pulling together to make sure that we can deliver that with confidence.'

The Royal Terrace Hotel was acquired by Prima Hotels in 2003, and is the latest in the Group's portfolio to benefit from significant investment.

Glasgow Asian restaurant India Quay has been nominated as the leader of Glasgow's team of five restaurants to compete in the Curry Capital of Britain competition. The public were asked to vote through email, telephone and post to nominate their choice Indian restaurant, with India Quay coming out as favourite within the Glasgow region.

Organised by Menu Magazine, the Curry Capital of Britain Award involves teams of five ethnic restaurants in each major city battling it out for the title of Curry Capital. The process of elimination is based on reviews of the restaurants, charity work undertaken and a bid from each city council.

Glasgow is so far the reigning champion and has previously beaten competition from teams in Edinburgh, Manchester, Bradford and London. Other members of the Glasgow team include Agoka Flame, Panjea, Ashoka Ashton Lane and Mother India, and the results will be announced on 21 May.

The Channel 4 Taste Festivals officially launched the fresh and exciting festival north of the border, celebrating and promoting Edinburgh's culinary talent and Scotland's food, drink and produce.

Taste of Edinburgh, which runs from 7-10 June in the Meadows, marks the first in a series of nationwide food & drink festivals across five cities in the UK and Ireland: Edinburgh, Dublin, London, Bath and Birmingham.

After the launch of Taste of London in 2004, which has since doubled in size, the concept is now being replicated in the other cities throughout the UK and Ireland.

Partnered with VisitScotland, EventScotland, Edinburgh's Inspiring Cuisine and the City of Edinburgh Council, Taste of Edinburgh aims to provide a culinary experience that will give 15,000 foodies the opportunity to sample taster dishes from 15 of Edinburgh's top restaurants, including Martin Wishart, The Tower and Duck's at Le Marche Noir, as the chefs work for four days in their on-site demonstration kitchens.

Consumers will also be able to eat and drink from up to 60 speciality food & drink suppliers at the event, sampling and selling their products from Caledonian Brewery to IJ Mellis Cheesemonger.

'The Taste festivals are growing at an enormous rate and this year we are debuting a Taste festival in Scotland, a country famous for its warm hospitality, colourful culture and vibrant restaurant scene,' said Chris Hughes, Managing Director of Brand Events.

The Right Hon. Lesley Hinds, Lord Provost of Edinburgh said: 'Edinburgh has more restaurants spotlight some of the best local produce and beautiful food created by our top chefs, and go one step further to promote the capital as inspiring food destination for visitors and locals alike.'

Tickets for the event are priced from £12 and are available from 30 March by calling 0870 060 3786.



Participating restaurants and their chefs representing them are:



Martin Wishart (Martin Wishart)
David Bann (David Bann)
Fishers (Jon Lumb)
Skippers (Mary Wishart)
Duck's at le Marche Noir (Stuart Linch)
Forth floor, Harvey Nichols (Stuart Muir)
Iggs (Leon Quate)
The Tower (James Thomson, Gavin Elden)
Vincaffe
Tigerlily (Suzanne O'Connor)
Dakota (Roy Brett)

A team from Ayr College won final of Brakes Student Chef Challenge, the largest student team pure cooking competition in the hospitality industry.
Kallaya Smillie, Peter Graham, Craig Rodger and Chef Lecturer Norman Robertson were presented with their award by Bob Lamb, Brakes Scotland and North CEO. Each were presented with a knife set worth £600 and will have a week-long placement to further develop their skills.
'Getting to the final of the Brakes Student Chef Challenge was a great achievement for the team, but to win it is fantastic,' said Norman Robertson. It's great that all the hard work and commitment has paid off. It hasn't quite settled in yet I'm sure this will be a day we will remember for a long time.'

Scottish Food Fortnight, the annual celebration of Scottish produce, has been backed by some of the country's leading culinary names. Martin Wishart and Gordon Ramsay, along with food columnist and cookery experts Lady Claire Macdonald and Wendy Barrie have all voiced support for the two-week event to be held later this year.

Scottish Food Fortnight was established in 2003 to raise awareness of the quality and variety of food and drink on offer in Scotland, and to change the habits of what we eat and where we buy it. Producers, retailers, restaurateurs, farm shops, farmers' markets and hoteliers across Scotland participate in the fortnight of events to promote and celebrate Scottish produce.

'We have the perfect platform here in Scotland to offer visitors innovative and contemporary culinary experiences and our main aim is to develop the right networks and connections between our restaurants, local food outlets and Scottish producers,' Wishart. 'Our local producers provide the unique ingredients that give us a distinctive food identity and worldwide reputation for quality'.

Scottish Food Fortnight 2007 will be held from 1st September until 16th September 2007. To participate or to find out more details of events in your area, visit
the Scottish Food Fortnight website

Eight employees at Edinburgh's The Balmoral have been awarded a training scholarship by the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HIT).
The employees will undego scholarships both at home and abroad, which include the Disney Institute in Florida, a two-week structured training programme at the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, and the 'Best of Scotland' operational scholarships.

HIT Scotland encourages and develops emerging talent within Scotland's hospitality industry by offering practical support through bursaries and work placements.

The Balmoral scooped eight out of the 78 scholarships on offer, marking the highest number of recipients for any one property.
'The Balmoral has received HIT scholarships for the past two years, with this year being the highest amount for the five-star property,' said HIT Chief Executive, David Cochrane (pictured above).

The Balmoral's General Manager, Debbie Taylor, added: 'We aim to attract the best talent to The Balmoral, and ensure we nurture and develop the skills of our employees. I am delighted that so many members of my team will benefit from this excellent opportunity that HIT is offering. The Balmoral and Scotland's tourism industry can only stand to benefit from these world-class placements.'

Balmoral Hotel HIT Scholarship Recipients:

Stefan Gross, Hadrian's Manager: Management Experience to Disney
Nick Sievewright, Guest Services Agent: The Dubai Experience
Sam Douglas, Head Spa Receptionist: A Management Skills experience at École Hotelière de Lausanne in Switzerland (Designer Scholarship)
Adam Philp, Room Service Assistant Manager: The Best of Scotland
Isabelle Courgey, Senior Supervisor Housekeeping: An Operational experience (Designer Scholarship)
Paul Grant, Assistant Hadrian?s Manager: A Management Skills experience (Designer Scholarship)
Katie McDowall, Guest Services Agent: A Boutique Hotel experience (Designer Scholarship)
Victoria Chalmers, Guest Services Agent: An Operational experience (Designer Scholarship)