Anything that tells the story of Scotland’s seafood attracts my attention, with my ancestors hailing from the tight-knit fishing community of St Andrews. It’s in my blood, and it’s in that of the whole country, too, past and present. This latest book by the ever-inspirational food and travel writer and workshop host, Ghillie Basan , is a beautifully photographed tribute to the people that make up today’s seafood communities across the country’s coastline, from Orkney and Shetland to the Outer Hebrides, Moray to East Lothian. Ghillie is a natural storyteller, as anyone who has heard her speak, enjoyed one of her cookery workshops or whisky-tasting experiences, or read one of her many other 50-odd books will testify. And, in this book, she tells these stories of our seafood products and people as if we’re on an adventure with her, with creative, but accessible, recipes to help us cook and enjoy the products in them along the way. There’s much to surprise and delight us, not just the traditional but the contemporary too. Take ‘Champion Cullen Skink’ – a winning recipe from Lynne Watson’s café, Lily’s, in the town that bears the famous dishes’ name or Liz Ashworth’s ‘Hairy Tatties’ with hot roast smoked salmon and her legendary oatcakes (hairy tatties were a common staple throughout Scotland, so-called because of the fibres of dried fish, which resembled hairs, in the tattie mixture). And a recipe for Clapydoos, which are large mussels (who knew?) and much savoured in days gone by when poor people sustained themselves on mussels and oysters. And who could resist the recipe from Tobermory Fish Company’s Sally MacColl, handed down by her granny, for baked smoked haddock and cheddar? Or how about Great British Menu’s Calum Montgomery, of the acclaimed Edinbane Lodge on Skye, with a New Orleans-inspired dish of baked oysters with pepper dulse? Or langoustines with whisky and sea urchin butter by chef Craig Grozier, of Fallachan Kitchen (which offers immersive food and drink experiences, including wild dining). Or Ruby’s Creole fish patties, from The Black Pearl Creole Kitchen in Gairloch, Wester Ross? This is a book to curl up with, get stuck into in the kitchen, to go back to again and again. And, by so doing, you’ll be helping to keep our seafood traditions alive and treasured for many more generations to come. To order a copy of Seafood Journey, visit www.birlinn.co.uk To find out more about Ghillie visit www.ghilliebasan.com and follow her on Instagram @ghilliebasan

One of the most rewarding ways to visit a grand city like London, Naples or Athens I’ve found, is to slip into the side streets of a neighbourhood; to leave the glitz and polish and wander with eyes wide open. It is through the unclothed and unpresented that we discover a city’s heart and soul: ways of life different from our own; local people going about their business. And the greatest joy, of course, is to unearth places where they choose to eat, drink and meet friends.  It is in such a residential area as this, in Edinburgh, with a few shops scattered about, a corner shop and antique dealer,  and a stone’s throw from Wardie Bay where you can watch sunsets or have a cold dip, that Will Blamire and Anne Quintin have set up La Cime . Delicious scones with, on one happy occasion, rhubarb and ginger homemade preserve, frittatas, brioches and other treats, along with excellent coffee are all on offer here and among the best, if not the best in town.  These warm, welcoming hosts have long experience in preparing food and service and it shows. Will is a formidable wine expert, Anne is a redoubtable cook and baker; and there is a strong sense in this neuk, of contemporary charm, of a careful eye on detail and pride in what is on the table and on shelves tastefully stacked with wines, terracotta, preserves, tins of the finest anchovies, bottles of organic olive oils, food books to browse, together with old school memorabilia. And it is in these considered choices, particularly in what you might find in a kitchen or pantry in the glorious La Lozère, Anne’s place of origin, that tells the story of what is happening in the kitchen.  La Cime, a bijou local restaurant and wine venue, intimate and warm, serves dishes based on  cuisine et tradition from the wonderful Occitane, renowned for its too many to mention cheeses (Roquefort-sur-Soulzon isn’t far), particularly blue, its long slow-cooked stews, hearty soups, bean and lentil casseroles; farmhouse ovens redolent with aromas of clafoutis,  round, fat jars of   local preserves; of staggeringly beautiful  gorges and  causses  and   where  les brebis, thrive on abundant rich grasses. Here, food from such rich terrain is always fresh. Anne’s food is worked with that characteristic care and skill of her heritage and presented with the pride of people who know and value quality and authenticity.  Friday and Saturday dinner menus are always an enticing read, showcasing produce that is fresh and local. A recent menu included rabbit rillettes and cornichon; slow-cooked, rolled pork belly with cannellini beans and apple sauce bringing with it aromas of the Auvergne; cod and potato brandade, typically from the rugged villages and plains of the Massif Central; elegant tartes, thin - layered with soft potato, fourme , a tangy blue cheese, crusted with smoked hazelnuts; fresh scallops cooked in a fragrant sauce of sweet cherry tomatoes with spiced harissa; potato and ricotta gnocchi in a rich ragù, with mozzarella, a nod to perhaps, Provence; piccante olives and homemade soup, a veritable potage, offered a delectable introduction. And the nougat glacé with a raspberry coulis and toasted nuts, more like a meringue in texture but holding its shape, its lightness and fruity freshness, rather than over-sweetness, was a perfect ending to a very recent meal enjoyed there. Although the basque cheesecake and the cheese plate with date and apple chutney in such expert hands, I’m sure would have been equally good. There is an excellent wine list but I can never go past an excellent Côtes du Rhône, especially from Maison Guigal. And espressos to finish here come sturdy. Just as they should be! La Cime: 210b Newhaven Road, Newhaven, Edinburgh, EH6 4QE Open Thursday to Monday 8.30 am - 4.30 pm including dinner, bites and drinks on Friday and Saturday evenings 9.30 am - 8 pm.

Before social media was invented when prawn cocktails and black forest gateau were seen as chic there was a small, free magazine that championed the hospitality sector in Edinburgh with short playful reviews. Now, Bite magazine, everyone's favourite pocket-sized food guide, has turned 21, making it the longest-running food magazine in the city. Bite has stayed true to its founding principles; passionately local, inclusive and free to all, with a light-hearted approach to the world of dining. “Many people have helped with Bite over the years including chefs, restaurateurs, writers, photographers, designers, distributors and friends of the magazine,”  says Founder and Editor Sharon Wilson. I am hugely grateful to everyone who has played a part. “We’re used to rolling up our sleeves and producing the best we can each issue, but 21 years is a big achievement and it's time to stop for a breath, take a bow and, raise a glass.” Food fashions have changed over the years – and popular restaurants have opened and closed in response to these changing trends and economic headwinds. Bite has seen it all: credit crunches, recessions, and pandemics. Mental health is now a recognized issue within the hospitality trade and has been brought into focus not least through popular shows like The Bear and Boiling Point.  Bite was delighted to partner with the charity Hospitality Health founded by Gordon MacIntyre MBE to celebrate its birthday and raise funds for people in the hospitality sector who are experiencing difficulties. The glittering reception was kindly hosted by The Bonham Hotel and sponsored by Champagne Piaff , Height of Arrows Gin , and Jump/Ship Brewing.  Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food at Scottish Food & Drink supported the event and praised Bite and Hospitality Health for their contributions to the scene.  The festive issue of Bite will be out in late November  Thanks to Simone Hilliard Photography For donations for Hospitality Health please visit - https://hospitalityhealth.org.uk/

The qualities that make a good cookbook are as subjective as those of any creative output. Some people prefer ornate prose and a healthy dose of memoir interspersed with gentle invitations to take inspiration from the author’s own cooking. Others seek out the austere and didactic – culinary textbooks with scientific methods and nothing superfluous. One-pot wonders and baking tray dinners are popular with many home cooks for a reason – easing the mid-week grind of family feeding – but depth and complexity draw crowds too, and some people are quite happy to pull out every pot, pan, and utensil (as well as all the stops) for a special occasion. The Changing Tides is a new cookbook by Edinburgh restaurateur Roberta Hall-McCarron (of The Little Chartroom), which sets out to celebrate Scottish seasonal produce and the joy of convivial dining. The book follows the tried-and-tested formula of presenting recipes across four chapters dedicated to the seasons. It lands squarely at the more complex chef-y end of the spectrum, and although the reader is encouraged to curate a ‘showstopper’ dinner party menu from each chapter’s offerings, many combinations would see you in the kitchen for hours, and leave you washing up for almost as long as you’d cooked. The photography is beautiful and the eclectic recipes are leanly written so as to focus on ingredients and method over florid description. The seasonal chapters are bookended by invaluable sections on S kills (think shucking an oyster and tying a game bird) and Core Recipes (e.g. stocks and rough puff pastry) – giving this book the feel of an apprenticeship at Hall-McCarron’s apron strings in the kitchens of the Little Chartroom. And therein lies the rub. This is a book brimming with culinary potential - comprising the kind of flavour-forward produce-led cooking I love to see when eating out. The issue for the home cook, however, is that many of the recipes read as though they are geared toward professional kitchens. In restaurants, for example, 1KG of langoustine shells is a byproduct just waiting to be reborn as a bisque (as it is in Hall-McCarron’s Red Mullet with Langoustine Sauce ) - at home, it’s an awkward domestic freezer-filler. A recipe for Haggis Sausage Roll begins with making your own haggis, and whilst I am all for learning new skills and luxuriating over the stove (not slaving) – my enthusiasm for making my own haggis as a component of another dish (which itself is a component of a larger menu), before serving, clearing, and cleaning up, is limited. This is a book which brings together the knowledge and experience of an accomplished chef with classic flavours and quality produce.  The dishes I cooked turned out beautifully – Coffee and Chocolate Mousse a personal highlight, and well worth what felt at the time like an excessively complicated method. While much of the book is far from simple, and ‘midweek one pot meals’ this is not, I can highly recommend the book to chefs and chef-y types with the time and inclination – especially if they let me be their taster.

When it comes to expanding the family in the current era of austerity, you might expect any parents to ca’ canny and keep it small. But not Scoop, the ambitious Scottish hospitality group that began life with street food and residencies, progressed to its first restaurant, Ox and Finch, in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove in 2014, and grew with Ka Pao six years later in the city’s West End (and later a second in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter). Scoop has now introduced its latest - and largest - offspring, affectionately christened Margo bang-slap in the city centre.  It’s big, bold and confident, all plate glass windows, traditional clay render, architectural metalwork, original brickwork salvaged light fittings and gorgeous wooden furniture. Its open kitchen runs the length of the ground floor space and is also in full view of diners on the mezzanine who can watch the impressively coordinated’ kitchen brigade in action from on high. The space is flexible: you can sit at the counter, in a booth, at a large table or at a table for two. The result is a buzzing, energetic space that suits the sturdy 19th-century sandstone building that cheerfully echoes Glasgow’s industrial heyday.  Though part of the same family of restaurants, Margo doesn’t feel like a chain. It already feels like a grown-up individual in its own right, albeit parented by Scoop founders Jonathan McDonald and Danial Spurr, and the brilliant front-of-house Scooper Paige Wilson. There’s an in-house bakery, butchery and pasta made from scratch. There’s no tasting menu or wine flight. Every dish on the carefully curated menu is made to order. If that menu - printed in sections - is initially rather daunting to get your head around, fully trained staff are on hand to explain - with infinite patience to my eternal gratitude - how it works: you can choose from snacks, small, medium and large dishes, ranging from £5 to £50, plus sides, all designed to be shared. And - hallelujah - they arrive at the table when ready but always in sequence rather than lumped together. I like that it makes you read the whole thing, and think carefully about your choice.  The system speaks of the incredible skill and experience of the kitchen brigade, headed by long-standing Scooper Rob Aitken (who joined Ox and Finch ten years ago) with the temporary addition of Craig Nelson,  previously of Ox and Finch  and the renowned Harwood Arms in London, who will head the team at Ox and Finch when it re-opens. There are 28 dishes including sides and excluding six desserts. A pair of ham hough croquettes arrive, crispy and crowned with shaved Parmesan. They’re hot and smoky with paprika and guindillas - a good start and delicious with a glass of Georgian Bugeuli, Pirosmani red. Two large Uist scallops are split and sit atop a bed of haricot beans, smoky and pungent with sobrasada and paprika. A skin-on cod fillet falls over black squid ink rice, its mouthfeel enhanced by crispy tempura sea vegetables lending a further saline hit.  I’m glad we’ve gone for the seafood first because the coup de theâtre is a large platter of half Creedy Carver duck. Prepared four ways - breast, leg, confit and a stand-out liver parfait topped with a dollop of citrus marmalade - this is the dish I’ll return for. Plus maybe the lamb faggot with Bonnet polenta, which I somehow missed but have subsequently heard is excellent. I have the dessert special of figs, almond cream and fig leaf granita; a beautiful-looking dish with a nutty creaminess, seasonal sweetness and an ice-cold hit. The Scoop family has nurtured a loyal customer base since the company’s embryonic days. Margo is full when I visit and it’s good to know she is in good hands. Margo, 68 Miller St, Glasgow G1 1DT.  Open seven days a week, lunch and dinner.

Every once in a while, there’s a book that takes you into another world, to the unfamiliar; a book that stops you in your tracks and makes you think differently. That book, for me, was Caroline Eden’s acclaimed memoir, A Year of Culinary Journey, which chronicles her travels across Eastern Europe and Central Asia whilst simultaneously recreating dishes, and recalling anecdotes, in her Edinburgh kitchen with her beloved dog Darwin (RIP) at her side. Caroline is a woman well-travelled, following a journalistic path after completing an MA in Jewish Studies and Diaspora. She was undoubtedly born with a sense of adventure and curiosity and a desire to seek out places and learn about the people, culture, history, and, of course, food—Central Asia, the Baltics, Uzbekistan, South Caucasus, and others that we know all too well now from wars and troubles such as Ukraine. With a somewhat nomadic life, shunning any notion of ‘settling down’, something about Edinburgh captured her heart and she put down some roots, falling in love with a very simple, rather rustic and dark basement kitchen. This is where she put pen to paper and told her tales, surrounded by handwritten recipes, unusual crockery found in flea markets, photographs and bread stamps, all prompting memories and observations. The kitchen grounded her. She sets the scene with these emotive words: “With its union of practicality and magic, the kitchen is a portal, offering extended range and providing unlikely paths out of the ordinary. Offering opportunities to cook, imagine and create ways back into other times, other lives and other territories…places that have eased into my marrow over the years, shaping my life, writing and thinking”.  And notes that “one ingredient or dish can conjure up a single moment, or an entire expedition: a whole city or just one unforgettable meal” So off we go with her, starting in winter with a poetic description of melons from Uzbekistan (their harsh climate of hot summers and cold winters being the perfect conditions for growing this precious fruit). We learn of their history and customs, with Ancient Uzbek kingdoms sending their prized melons wrapped in cotton or packed in snow to emperors across the lands. Spring takes us to learning about the magic of herbs, inspired by the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia). Caroline describes the rhythmic chopping of herbs by her stove, and the fragrant smells, telling us how vital they are to food in these places, as “vital as bread”  and the “centrepiece of the table”, providing vitamins after a long winter. Summer talks of barberries, cloudberries, and apricots fresh from the trees, inspiring a Middle Eastern-style recipe for cookies with dried berries and fruits, orange blossom water and honey. In autumn , Caroline shares her heartache over vintage bowls that didn’t quite survive the journey home (no doubt striking a chord with anyone with prized mementos that have suffered a similar fate), but then the history and meaning of other historical bowls, from Tajikistan, which did survive intact and are so cherished. Using them to make strained yogurt, she comments: “Just as effectively as flavour, recipes and tastes, these bowls bring forth memories and feelings, drawing a link from my kitchen table back to Central Asia. Closing the distance between here, and there” This is an emotive, personal book, filled with heartfelt memories, experiences, musings, times of joy as well as thoughts of those in more troubled lands. But what it all comes down to is something that many of us will relate to, no matter where our travels lead us: the comfort of the kitchen, the ability of a dish, an ingredient, a bowl or a photograph to spark memories of people, places, sights, smells and flavours. And that, I think, is something to be grateful for. Follow Caroline on Instagram @edentravels

Congratulations on winning the Guild of Food Writers Best Newcomer award recently. What does it mean to you? I wasn’t expecting it at all.  I didn’t think the judges would respond to an essay about the cultural importance of Glasgow morning rolls! For them to see value in my work and celebrate a piece of writing specific to the West of Scotland felt like a big win.   Everyone knows you as The Tenement Kitchen – where did the name come from? When I was a kid, I always thought my aunt’s flat was so fancy; she lived on the top floor of a tenement that had two reception rooms. When I returned to  Paisley in 2017, I moved to the same street in the same tenement block. I had very little understanding of the history of tenements and the blog name was supposed to convey the glamorous life of tenement living with fresh produce and classic Scottish recipes with a twist.  As I began to investigate working-class history, Tenement Kitchen became a metaphor for my writing, recognising the value of authentic working-class Scottish food and stories.  Tell us something we might not know about the Glasgow morning roll Records show us that ‘ reidy baps’ have been a crucial part of city life since the 1600s. Their size and versatility made them an instant bestseller with working men who wanted to pick up a light travelling lunch. The rolls have had four centuries of development and the fillings show the excellence in Scottish butchery.  Why is food heritage so important to you? When I started researching, I kept discovering things that challenged my view of Scottish food. For example, we have been using cumin in Scottish cooking longer than potatoes; scones were invented in Scotland; Christmas baking was illegal in Scotland for 100 years; the word ‘piece’  for a sandwich comes from people splitting a morning Bannock with one piece for breakfast and one piece for lunch and people used to be prescribed sugar pills for energy and recovery, hence the name ‘tablet’  for this well-known Scottish confection. For most of my childhood, my family lived below the poverty line. Dinners were potato heavy and food insecurity was a constant concern. It was very clear from the world around me that the food we ate was something to be ashamed of. I never saw mince and dough balls on television cooking shows or Lorne sausages in mainstream cookery books.  I think we need to shout about  all  our food, even the plain fare. For me, food history gives us the roadmap to celebrate our food from the pizza crunch to the humble dough ball. I feel like I’m beginning to contribute to that by sharing my food history revelations, wrapped in a good dose of storytelling.  What’s the one thing that we can all do to protect Scotland’s food heritage? Working-class food has gone undocumented for centuries. We rely on sources like poetry, novels and burgh laws to paint a picture of what working-class people ate in this country. It wasn’t until the 20th century that we saw publications like the Scottish Women’s Rural Institute cookery books and the works of Florence Marian McNeill make the first real effort to detail the recipes and regional variations in everyday Scottish food.  Even then, there are recipes that my granny made that I had never heard of such as Coburg Cakes , Bunty Creams  and Skirlie.  In one generation, food can go from pedestrian to extinct. There are bound to be recipes that we’ve already lost because no one wrote them down. We need a national concerted effort to collect food stories so that future generations understand what their inherited food culture is. Until then, our job is to talk about our food. Interview your grandparents, your parents, and your siblings. Ask them about their food memories and preserve family recipes with their memories. @tenementkitchen  www.tenementkitchen.com

Given the current vogue for upscaled luxury country house hotels in Scotland, you could say that Ballathie House Hotel in rural Perthshire isn’t on a par with, say, the Fife Arms at Ballater, Cromlix at Kinbuck, Kinloch Lodge on Skye or even Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, and it’s safe to say it hasn’t yet succumbed to a Banjo Beale makeover. On the contrary, the grand Victorian Ballathie House remains resolute in its traditional, comfortable decor - think curtain swags and tails, old portraits, original taxidermy in glass cases, and (gasp) its cocktail-free whisky bar menu - and you start to get the picture. But it seems that the privately-owned Ballathie House is more than comfortable in its own skin. Situated at the end of the most magnificent tree-lined driveway and sitting right on the banks of the majestic River Tay, its situation is enviable. A former Country Sporting Hotel of the Year. It’s host to many a fishing and shooting party and its ground-floor layout of public rooms is conducive to a relaxed, free-flowing ambience that suggests conviviality and comfort. When it comes to dining, though, it’s immediately clear that head chef Scott Scorer is bang-on trend. A reassuring amuse-bouche of cauliflower veloute arrives, dusted with dukka and walnut; it’s accompanied by a spiky black pepper and fennel bread and two types of house butter: salted and applewood-smoked. We immediately feel welcomed and relaxed in the fully-booked dining room that overlooks the Tay and the setting sun. Next up I have a cool, elegant and astonishingly pretty dish of heritage tomato with tomato confit, wasabi mascarpone layered with a crispy Bunuelos fashioned into the shape of a flower and dotted with deeply flavoured basil emulsion - a perfect precursor to my meaty main.  My Gressingham duck breast with its smoky crust and perfectly rendered fat, potato presse, heritage carrots, pak choi and a sweet, aromatic date and tamarind purée is beautifully cooked and slickly presented, a little confit leg spring roll making a tasty accompaniment. My partner’s pink loin of venison from Simpsons of Kingussie was a flavour triumph with its poached pear, celeriac, winter greens, walnut and fondant potato, paired with a delightful venison hot pot in a crispy furikake bunela base.   An exceptionally generously portioned dessert of crispy, sweet Choux au Craquelin is beautiful to look at, filled with a caramel crème and banana jam and sitting atop caramelised banana slices accompanied by little florets of Chantilly.  I loved its intense sweetness even if it became a little too much. The dining rooms, bar and lounge were all busy on a Wednesday evening, which says a lot about chef’s sure and accomplished touch - as well as the sophisticated tastes of his customer base. This is assured, contemporary cooking served by professional uniformed staff and if not exactly cutting-edge, it's up there and I would certainly return. Ballathie House Hotel, Kinclaven, Stanley, Perthshire PH1 4QN. Tel: +44 (0)1250 883268. www.ballathiehousehotel.com/

The MICHELIN Guide, which awards coveted MICHELIN Stars, Green Stars and Bib Gourmand distinctions, is a marker of excellence within the restaurant industry. Scotland punches above its weight with Two - Two-MICHELIN-Starred restaurants (Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles) and The Glenturret Lalique restaurant and 10 - One-MICHELIN-Starred restaurants. Glasgow is home to two One MICHELIN-Starred restaurants – Cail Bruich, and UNALOME by Graeme Cheevers.   The MICHELIN Guide Great Britain & Ireland Ceremony will take place on Monday 10th February 2025 at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. It will be followed by a cocktail afterparty, at The Old Fruitmarket.  All chefs running a MICHELIN-Starred restaurant from across the UK and Ireland, as well as journalists, influencers, partners and industry leaders, will be invited to the Ceremony, during which new MICHELIN Stars and Special Awards will be unveiled.  The Scottish Government has provided £90,000 funding to Scotland Food & Drink which has also invested £50,000, to enable the MICHELIN Guide to take place in Glasgow. A celebration of the highest quality of food, drink and service, the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony coming to Glasgow reflects the city and the country’s reputation for its premium food and drink. Scotland’s seafood, red meat, spirits and beers are staples in some of the world’s best restaurants.   Scotland’s food and drink industry employs more than 129,000 people and countless more in the supply chain. It is the country’s largest manufacturing sector, worth £15 billion annually.    Iain Baxter, Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink , said: “Scotland’s food and drink is world-renowned from our iconic produce such as seafood, salmon or whisky, to lesser-known products like confectionery or bakery. Chefs both at home and abroad recognise the provenance, quality and tradition that creates our abundant larder and makes our produce so unique.   “It’s therefore incredibly exciting to be working in partnership with Glasgow Life to bring The MICHELIN Guide Great Britain & Ireland Ceremony to Scotland for the first time in February 2025.   “This prestigious event will not only showcase Glasgow and Scotland to the culinary world as an outstanding location for produce, but also enhance Scotland's ambition to be a globally renowned food tourism destination, promoting the country's credentials to The MICHELIN Guide community in Scotland, the UK, and around the world.”  Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, said: “From our iconic, traditional produce such as whisky, red meat and salmon, to Scotland’s contemporary chefs and artisan producers, our country is world famous for the high quality food and drink we produce.   “That’s why I am delighted that the highly respected Michelin awards will be coming to Glasgow next year – supported by funding from the Scottish Government. This prestigious event will showcase some of the most exciting food and drink on offer across the nation and help place Scotland firmly in the centre of the gastronomic map.”  Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of The MICHELIN Guide , commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to announce that, for the first time, The MICHELIN Guide Ceremony for Great Britain & Ireland will be presented from Scotland.   “The home of delicious produce, timeless culinary traditions and warm hospitality, Scotland, and more specifically the buzzing city of Glasgow, is a fitting location to celebrate the incredible gastronomic talent across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.   “The MICHELIN Guide team are hard at work preparing an event that will honour the passion, determination and skill of everyone who makes our industry so special.”

Too soon? Mentioning the 'C word' might be controversial but for those planning festive get-togethers, parties and the all-important work 'do', now is the time to get organised. With this in mind, The Rutland Hotel hosted its Christmas showcase recently, inviting guests to its new suite of luxury apartments to sample its seasonal offering. Like an unusual but very well catered house party, the apartments hosted different venues from the hotel, even including hairdressing services and a masseuse.  On the top floor, mixologists from Heads & Tails bar sling two cocktails from its list: the Scottish Supper: Toasted Oats washed Lindores Abbey Whisky, Banana Liqueur, and Black Tea Caramel and the Wild Strawberry Gimlet: Cacao-washed Black Cow Vodka, Wild Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn Cordial, and Dry Vermouth. The first floor features Kyloe's Film Club, complete with Elf-inspired baby bottles filled with Pina Colada. The Club hosts film screenings alongside a multi-course menu of themed drinks and dishes; for example, at the next screening, Pulp Fiction will be brought to life for viewers with a ‘Kahuna burger’, ‘5 dollar shake’ and blueberry pancakes. Next door, Kyloe's head chef hosts the Chef's table, providing a sample of the Christmas menu with paired beverages curated by De Burgh Wines. The line-up is a classic winter feast: Beetroot salmon gravadlax followed by Braised ox cheek with the creamiest potato puree, and a Glazed dark chocolate mousse with caramel tuille. Everything is delicious and especially impressive given the limited space and facilities. The paired wines are all well chosen but our favourite is the Maurey Rouge, Domaine Fontanel 2021, a lightly fortified wine with aromas of macerated fruits, cocoa, chocolate and spice – divine with the dark chocolate dessert. The ground floor apartment has become the Huxley bar, but the highlight is the martini trolley, a unique concept centred around creating after-dinner drinks for Kyloe diners at their table.  With Piaff Champagne, Christmas trees aplenty, and samples of IJ Mellis’ cheese, The Rutland’s showcase is like a night in Christmas Town for grown-ups and proves that the venue really does have the festive season all wrapped up. The Rutland Hotel, 1-3 Rutland Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2AE, Scotland T: +44 (0)131 229 3402 E:  info@therutlandhotel.com

A black tie ceremony hosted by broadcaster Simon Rimmer at DoubleTree by Hilton in Glasgow celebrated the best of Scotland's food and drink businesses at The Scottish Food & Drink Excellence Awards on Wednesday 9 October. Scottish Product of the Year went to the Carnoustie restaurant and piemaker WeeCOOK which also took the Fish & Seafood Product of the Year prize. Bonnie & Wild the popular Edinburgh food hall received the Best for Scottish (independent) Business award category in recognition of its work championing Scottish food and drink producers. Judges at the Scotland Food and Drink Awards praised Bonnie & Wild for using its Scottish Marketplace to showcase the best of Scottish hospitality.  Also shortlisted for the Best for Scotland award were Aberdeen fish wholesaler and retailer Amity, Castleton Farm and Fisher & Donaldson bakery in Fife. The awards comprised 14 taste and seven business categories, recognised for their outstanding contributions to elevating Scotland's reputation as a land of food and drink. Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “The Excellence Awards truly highlight the breadth and diversity within Scotland’s food and drink sector, showcasing a thriving industry that continues to evolve at an exciting pace. The quality of this year’s submissions speaks to the resilience and innovation driving our sector forward and we want to offer our heartfelt congratulations to all of this year’s winners and finalists.” The annual awards, which recognise the highest quality produce as well as the leading individuals, suppliers, and companies,  come in the wake of the announcement of the Scottish food and drink sector reaching a record high value, contributing £14.8bn to the Scottish economy. Overall Product of the Year - Sponsored by Boxshop WeeCOOK - Fishwife Pie 2024 Winners: Tasted Categories Artisan Product of the Year (sponsored by The Knowledge Bank) 8 Doors Distillery - Five Ways Blended Liqueur   Bakery Product of the Year (sponsored by Scottish Bakers) The Little Bakery -The Big Box of Little Pies   Beer & Cider Product of the Year (sponsored by NIQ) 71 Brewing - Haze Halo 5.0% Hazy IPA   Confectionery Product of the Year Aldi - Specially Selected Scottish Sicilian Lemon Shortbread Rounds   Dairy Product of the Year (sponsored by Levercliff) The Coo Shed - Fresh Whole Milk   Distilling Product of the Year - Dark Spirits (sponsored by The Scotsman) Young Spirits - Ferg & Harris 12yo Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky   Distilling Product of the Year - White Spirits  The Highland Liquor Company Seven Crofts Gin Fisherman’s Strength   Fish & Seafood Product of the Year (sponsored by Seafood Scotland) WeeCOOK - Fishwife Pie   Free From Product of the Year Nakey Bakey - Nakey Bakey Mixed Berry Granola   Healthier Choice Product of the Year (sponsored by The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen) SHORE The Scottish Seaweed Co. - SHORE Peking Duck Seaweed Chips   Meat Product of the Year (sponsored by The Academy) Highland Game - Highland Game Loin of Venison   Scotch Brand Product of the Year (sponsored by QMS) Dunbia Highland Meats - Lidl Deluxe Dry Aged Aberdeen Angus Scotch Ribeye Steak   Snacks & Accompaniments Product of the Year (sponsored by Frame) SHORE The Scottish Seaweed Co. - SHORE Sweet Siracha Seaweed Chips   Soft Drinks Product of the Year Cruice - Original Lemonaidan 2024 Winners: Business Categories Best for Scottish-Independent (sponsored by NFU Mutual) Bonnie & Wild   Best for Scottish - Multiple (sponsored by Palletforce) Aldi   Employer of the Year (sponsored by The Grocer) Lazy Days Foods   Primary Producer of the Year  Old Leckie Farm   Regional Food and Drink Award  Ballintaggart   Sustainability Award (sponsored by Dentons) Arbikie Distillery   Young Talent (sponsored by Food & Drink Federation Scotland) Eilidh Wynd from Simon Howie Foods

Loved Vietnamese street food restaurant Pho will be opening its second location in the Scottish capital this month   Popular Vietnamese street food restaurant, Pho , is announcing its newest Scottish location as the restaurant prepares to open on Edinburgh’s Lothian Road this month.   The upcoming restaurant will be Pho’s third site in Scotland, following the success of the first Scottish venue at Edinburgh’s St. James’s Quarter, and the central Glasgow location on Renfield Street that opened earlier this year to great excitement.   Founded by husband-and-wife team Stephen and Juliette Wall, Pho has become popular for its aromatic, nutritious rice noodle soups and stunning variety of Vietnamese street food. Set in the former Wildwood venue, Pho’s new Edinburgh restaurant will accommodate 100 covers with an extensive menu featuring street food classics like fresh summer rolls, savoury and spicy curries and wok-fried noodles, alongside a variety of pho dishes like classic beef brisket noodle soup in 12-hour bone broth, deliciously healthy ‘supergreen’ soup or a hot and spicy prawn noodle soup.   As the national dish of Vietnam, Pho is known for its perfect balance of twelve-hour broths, lean meats and fresh herbs and spices that make it the perfect day-after saviour, cosy comfort food and wholesome pick-me-up. The menu draws on the rich flavours and history of Vietnamese cuisine, with every dish made fresh daily.   Libby Andrews, Marketing Director of Pho, commented: “With such an incredible response to our first Edinburgh location, we’re thrilled to be opening a second restaurant in the Scottish capital, welcoming more guests to enjoy our warming soups just as “Pho Season” begins.” Pho - 105-109 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9AN   -