The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By, on the Isle of Skye, has been crowned one of the best ‘Restaurants-with-Rooms’ in the country at the Good Hotel Guide Editor’s Choice 2019 awards.
The Good Hotel Guide said, “Long-standing owners Shirley and Eddie Spear are welcoming hosts at their loch- side island retreat. Suites are generously equipped. Chef Scott Davies uses excellent local produce in his highly creative cooking.”
Shirley Spear, Owner at The Three Chimneys, added, “May Day 2019, will be our 20th anniversary of opening The House Over-By beside The Three Chimneys Restaurant in Skye. It goes without saying that Eddie and I are delighted to learn we have been voted Editor’s Choice “Restaurant with Rooms” in this year’s independent Good Hotel Guide.
“In that first year, we were awarded 5 stars by VisitScotland and were inspected by many professionals. We made such a nervous start with our six beautiful bedroom suites, wondering if anyone would ever book to come and stay with us. Little did we know how popular our accommodation would become, thanks to our wonderful guests and our fantastic staff, over all the years.”
The Good Hotel Guide Editor’s Choice 2019 award is the latest achievement in a successful 12 months for The Three Chimneys. Having retained 3 AA Rosettes continuously for the past 19 years, The Three Chimneys was awarded the title of UK Restaurant of the Year in the Editor’s Awards within the Waitrose Good Food Guide 2018, AA Service Award for the UK in 2018, and has retained its place in the UK’s top 50 in the new, 2019 guide.
The Three Chimneys went on to win the Restaurant of the Year title at this year’s CIS Excellence Awards, while Head Sommelier, Charlotte Davies, reached the finals of the prestigious Gold Service Scholarship 2018.
Elite chef James McCulloch Thomson is taking charge of the kitchen at the four-star Macdonald Forest Hills & Spa in Aberfoyle.
Owned by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, Forest Hills has recently undergone a £3.5 redesign and refurbishment, and has taken another step forward with James’ appointment as Executive Head Chef. McCulloch Thomson has worked with Glasgow Royal Concert Hall amongst others since returning from a seven-year spell in Melbourne, Australia in 2013.
He said, “Macdonald Forest Hills Hotel & Spa has an iconic Scottish setting and it is a true honour to be appointed as executive head chef. It’s an exciting time in the hotel’s history, with the property just completing a major transformation and this role was just too good an opportunity to miss.”
Highlights of James’ menu will include scallop and sea bass ceviche, warm citrus puddings with yoghurt and blueberries and one pot braised pork belly with black pudding and apple.
He continued, “My style of food offers a simple and lighter way to eat, yet with multi-layered flavour and texture combinations and the odd bit of quirkiness. For me basing the menus around Scotland’s larder is key. It’s by far and away the best there is and I’ll be focusing on seasonality and using the best suppliers and producers, from the fishermen and farmers to gamekeepers.
“The thing I get most pleasure out of is teaching and watching young chefs grow and progress within the industry. It gives me a great sense of pride to see them follow their own paths and the best advice I can give is to come in to the trade with the right attitude and the desire to learn and then adapt and dream big.”
General Manager Andrew Deighan is thrilled to have a renowned operator with over 30 years’ experience in the business in charge of Forest Hills’ culinary output.
He commented, “James is an outstanding chef and we are very excited to have him join our team. We are looking forward to welcoming our regular guests as well as new customers to experience his fantastic dishes. James will be working closely with the teams here and our suppliers to develop new menus and fresh ideas for our restaurants.”
Macdonald Hotels & Resorts was established in 1990 by Donald Macdonald and colleagues and now employs over 4,500 staff and operates 55 hotels across the UK, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. Based in rural Stirlingshire, Forest Hills Hotel & Spa is surrounded by 25 acres of landscaped gardens and looks out onto Loch Ard. James will be working out of the AA Rosette winning Garden Restaurant and Rafters Bar & Bistro.
The La Bonne Auberge brasserie at the Holiday Inn Glasgow Theatreland has been awarded an AA Rosette for the 17th year in a row. The restaurant which celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year, offers diners French Mediterranean cuisine.
Diana Espersen, restaurant manager at La Bonne Auberge, said, “We are delighted to once again secure an AA Rosette – which means that the restaurant has now held this prestigious award consecutively since 1998.
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