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Moving on up
After 14 years' transforming Ballathie House into a successful and well-known destination for tourists from all over the world, Kevin MacGillivray is finally leaving the Perthshire hotspot and is about to embark on perhaps the biggest challenge of his career.
As the new Director of EatScotland, the quality assurance "where-to-eat" scheme owned by VisitScotland and run by SFQC (Scottish Food Quality Certification), Kevin will lead a team of scheme management staff and a number of "mystery guest" assessors in what is becoming a successful and rapidly expanding initiative.
Catering in Scotland meets the man who's charged with taking it to the next level…
At 43 years of age and with over 25 years' experience under his belt, Kevin is to food what Ken McCulloch is to hotels. Passionate about his trade and champion of all things fresh and local, Kevin is both liked and revered by his peer group in equal measures. And as Vice President of Federation of Chefs Scotland he is now on course to develop and progress the EatScotland scheme on a truly national level.
Since 1991 when he became the first chef at the newly opened Lochgreen House Hotel, Kevin has endeavoured to put Scotland firmly and irrevocably on the map as a world-class culinary destination.
"I've always loved food and everything about it", he says. "Ever since I decided to become a chef, I've had an intense passion for what I do, and a respect for the tools of my trade - the food. After 14 years at Ballathie I decided I wanted to do something to help improve other people's perceptions of Scottish food, not just those who stayed at the hotel."
Tony Mercer, Head of Quality and Standards at VisitScotland, is equally enthusiastic:
"Scotland boasts some of the finest natural produce on earth, so it stands to reason we should be perceived as a world-class food destination," he says.
"However, to achieve that goal we require consistency across the board, so that everyone dining out will be guaranteed the kind of experience that will make them want to return. Our overall aim is to raise standards across the whole of Scotland."
In simple terms, the scheme has two objectives: to help residents and visitors find great places to eat in Scotland, and to raise standards. Using its team of assessors, SFQC carries out the assessments of participating businesses and is initially operating a pass or fail system based on quality, service, and ambience/hygiene. This is then allied to comprehensive constructive feedback and support should the applicant not be successful on the first attempt.
When Kevin starts his new role at the beginning of this month, he'll be tasked with a range of responsibilities aimed primarily at generating more interest in the scheme as a whole, his work taking him from his home in Blairgowrie to EatScotland's base in Edinburgh, via various Scottish locations along the way.
"Initially I'll be managing assessors and ensuring we're all singing from same hymn sheet," he says. "My main objective is to start drumming up more members, so we can create a core of quality-driven establishments who want to improve the food and service they and others offer. I want to talk with industry leaders like Shirley Spear, Andrew Fairlie and Lady Claire McDonald to find out what they would like EatScotland to offer them. I don't see the point of creating an eating out guide if it hasn't got the backing of leading people."
And so the future holds some interesting challenges for Kevin and his colleagues. With plans to introduce an award scheme, a guide to Scottish suppliers and even an industry training and advice package, his remit will encompass an assortment of responsibilities.
"In the long term we'd like to create a consultancy to help people who have already attained, say, one AA rosette, to reach that little bit further for their second," adds Kevin.
"Scotland has been downgraded for so long and I want to eliminate some of the negativity. There are lots of places to eat here but we can still improve on them all and through EatScotland, good examples in the industry, no matter what type of business, will be acknowledged for their achievements".
With a wide range of businesses signing up to the initiative, from takeaways and tea rooms to restaurants, coffee houses and even fish & chip shops, the scale of EatScotland's success will depend largely on how well Kevin and his colleagues at SFQC can persuade Scottish establishments that it's time for change.
Judging by his past achievements and future plans, it should be no problem at all.
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature please see Catering in Scotland magazine September/October 2006.
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