Gordon Ramsay has been linked to a deal that could see him take over premises currently occupied by the Refinery restaurant in Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square.
It follows an announcement by Drake & Morgan, the London restaurant group, confirming that the Refinery would close next month after the chain was unexpectedly served notice by its Luxembourg-based landlord, St Andrew Square SARL.
According to The Sunday Times, sources said that staff were told their jobs were redundant ‘because Gordon Ramsay had bought the building’ but a spokeswoman for Ramsay said she could not comment ‘at this point.’
It’s been 17 years since he closed the doors of his Amaryllis restaurant at One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow. It was awarded a Michelin star in 2002 – a year after the restaurant opened – but tragedy struck in 2003 when the head chef, David Dempsey, fell to his death from a block of flats.
Ramsay later revealed the venture was haemorrhaging money and cost him £480,000 over its three-year run.
In April, Drake & Morgan announced plans to close three sites, which did not include the Refinery in Edinburgh. The chain, which runs 22 venues in London, Manchester and Edinburgh, said it was taking action to survive the ‘unprecedented and challenging’ trading conditions brought on by the pandemic and was seeking the support of its landlords to secure the future of the business by moving to a turnover-based rent model.
Catalan Michelin-starred chef Miguel Angel Major has moved to Glasgow to launch the new look Rioja in Glasgow’s Finnieston, owned by the C&C Restaurant Group. It will be spread across two floors, is set to open in June, and with interiors inspired by the Spanish coastline, with lots of baby blues, peach, and pastels.
Miguel previously worked at El Bulli restaurant in Roses, Catalonia and received his first Michelin star in 2017 at Sucede in Valencia. Rioja marks his first UK appointment.
Chef Miguel said, “Scotland, its people, its produce, and its history have always piqued my interest. The menu at Rioja will link the high quality of Scottish products to the history of Spanish cuisine. Our food will constantly evolve and have no borders – a one-of-a-kind celebration of produce, with flavours that showcase innovative techniques while maintaining respect. I simply can’t wait to get started”.
Toni Carbajosa, co-owner at C&C Restaurant Group said, “Miguel is a master of his craft, and we are excited to re-open this Summer with a world class chef at the helm. Rioja has always been able to provide a concept that showcases the most authentic Spanish dishes made with both Iberian and Scottish ingredients, and with the appointment Miguel, we believe that we can challenge the preconceived ideas of fine dining and offer a lively casual dining tapas restaurant and re-establish Rioja as one of Glasgow most innovative food and drink destinations”.
Rioja Finnieston at 1116 Argyle St, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8TD.
Willie Jones has joined Murrayshall Country House Hotel and Golf Club as Head of Food and Beverage. He has a wealth of experience ranging from 16 years at the prestigious Gleneagles Hotel, to time at The Belfry, Wrightington Hotel and Country Club and Paul Heathcote’s flagship Michelin starred restaurant, The Longridge Restaurant.
Says Willie, “I am extremely excited about my new role at Murrayshall and my aim is to bring food and beverage back, not only to the forefront of the hotel’s offering but also to the minds of guests, both those who are local and those from further afield. I am keen to work hard to develop the team in order to achieve a wonderful dining experience, whether it be in a more informal setting like Stutts or taking in the wonderful views across the estate from the Lynedoch Brasserie.”
During his time at Gleneagles Willie held a number of senior roles within the food and beverage Team and comes to Murrayshall having been in charge of one of the biggest food and beverage operations in the country. Most notably, he was involved with a £3 million investment which saw the launch of the 250 cover Spanish / Italian restaurant, Deseo, which is now The Birnam Brasserie as well as a luxurious food emporium, busy café and spa restaurant. In addition to this, he was also in charge of private dining, events and the in-room dining department which was responsible for servicing all 230 of the hotel’s bedrooms.
Willie was also heavily involved with the food and beverage provision for all three of Gleneagles’s Championship courses as well as the Dormy Clubhouse, culminating in the impressive role of being directly responsible for the American and European Ryder Cup Teams’ food and beverage provision in 2014.
“I am delighted that Willie will be joining us at Murrayshall,” said Gary Silcock, General Manager, “And I am excited about the passion and energy he will bring to the team.”
Alongside Willie’s expertise in the world of food and beverages, he also offers a charitable and philanthropic angle to the role, due to his position of Co-Founder and Patron of the world-class, industry-led Apprenticeship in Hospitality Scotland scheme.
“For any business, it’s extremely important to ensure that we have a healthy and positive relationship with our local schools and colleges,” says Willie, “And it is my ambition to make Murrayshall a “Centre of Excellence” for the delivery of apprenticeships.”
“With Willie on board the opportunities are endless!” says Gary Silcock. “I am confident that he will drive the food and beverage team forward and create an outstanding culinary offering. He will also work to introduce exciting new offerings such as outdoor dining, to be enjoyed alongside our country pursuit activities, as well as an exciting calendar of events ranging from food demonstrations and cookery classes (both face-to-face and virtual) to tastings with local suppliers.
“I am sure that with Willie’s input, 2021 is going to see Murrayshall rivalling the greats of the food and beverage industry and put the hotel firmly on the map for all foodies and gastronomists!”
A team of top Scottish chefs including Trump Turnberry’s pastry chef, Andrew MacKay (pictured), has served up a winning menu at the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg, bringing home a silver medal for Scotland as part of the world-wide competition.
Andrew, who has worked at Trump Turnberry for more than five years, helped showcase the very best of Scottish hospitality and cuisine, which featured seasonal Scottish ingredients at the heart of each dish.
Competing in a culinary cook-off against over 45 teams from across the globe over a five-day period last month, the Culinary World Cup saw the team’s skills and nerves being tested fully amid the tense atmosphere of the event.
Carefully crafted to showcase their world-class abilities, the competition consisted of a three-course fine dining menu, designed to demonstrate the culinary team’s craft skills and display techniques.
The fine-tuned menu, created by the Scottish team, consisted of seared scallop-stuffed razor clam with charred cucumber, a sea herb and seaweed butter sauce, Scotch Beef fillet, crispy beef cheek, wild mushroom, watercress-truffled celeriac and a jus and chocolate mousse with sea buckthorn, hazelnut and poached pear.
Andrew, said, “It was such a great honour to pick up a silver award at such a prestigious culinary event – particularly given we were competing against some of the world’s most renowned chefs. It was a real team effort and one that I’m incredibly proud to be part of.
“We wanted to create a menu that was reflective of the fantastic suppliers that we are fortunate to have here on our doorstep in Scotland. Having worked at Trump Turnberry for more than five years, I felt I was fully prepared to deliver a truly five-star service that would impress.
“Looking ahead to 2019, I am already thinking about what we can do to improve and hopefully bring home a gold next time for Scotland.”
Derek Johnstone, Head Chef at Borthwick Castle, near Edinburgh, was the only chef from Scotland to be placed at the the Craft Guild of Chef’s ‘National Chef of the Year’ awards. Derek received the ‘Exceptional Presentation Award’ and was named one of the best chefs at the Craft Guild of Chef’s ‘National Chef of the Year 2019’.
Derek joined Borthwick Castle in 2017 following its two-year restoration and was presented with the awards at a ceremony during The Restaurant Show at London’s Olympia Exhibition Centre on Tuesday night (2nd October).
The awards were presented to Derek following an intense cook-off earlier that day between the 10 finalists from across the UK.
The ‘National Chef of the Year’ award was judged by a hugely experienced judging panel whilst the ‘Exceptional Presentation Award’ was judged by both the panel and the public after an intense social media battle. Judges on the panel included Tom Kerridge and Monica Galetti.
Last month, at a Mentor Day, Derek and his co-finalists were provided with three ingredients which would form the basis of their menu for the final – lobster, grouse and a traditional British pudding with seasonal fruit. Derek’s final menu consisted of:
A starter of a mousseline of native lobster with poached lobster claw, wilted sea vegetables with a lemongrass & ginger buttermilk sauce.
A main course featuring roasted grouse from the North Yorkshire moors with Scottish girolle mushroom, crispy potato & wilted sprouts with bacon & blueberry game jus.
And finished with a warm apple, almond & brown butter sponge pudding with vanilla custard, Bramley apple puree & cider apple sorbet.
Speaking at the ceremony, Derek said, “Today was amazing – cooking in ‘The National Chef of the Year’ final was so intense, but I was happy with how it went. To take a place on the podium is a massive achievement during my first year in the competition. Thank you to the public who voted online for the ‘Exceptional Presentation Award’ and to the judges and The Craft Guild of Chefs for an excellent day of superb food and skill.”
Derek launched his career at a young age, winning the inaugural series of MasterChef: The Professionals in 2008. He later honed his skills working alongside Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche and Albert Roux at Chez Roux. http://www.borthwickcastle.com
Chefs from Buzzworks Holdings just went head to head Buzzworks Cook ‘n’ Crown, with Chef Gabriella Crawford from the Millhouse in Stewarton coming out on top with her ‘perfect’ Skate wing, pea and asparagus risotto along with a brown shrimp butter sauce.
Now in its second year, 14 Commis Chefs and Chef de Parties were in the running and the event took place at Ayrshire College, with chefs representing all ten of Buzzworks venues.
The event featured a live cooking demonstration from Buzzworks Executive Head Chef Duncan McKay, and judges marked each chef on time management, control of cookery processes, food preparation skill, hygiene, organisation, presentation of dish, taste and flavour.
Gabriella took home a Midori Knife worth £100, a £100 meal experience voucher and a culinary book, to hone her skills further.
Chef Jacopo Delle Piane from Lido Troon came in second, while James McKinlay from Treehouse in Ayr was in third place.
Kenny Blair, Managing Director of Buzzworks Holdings, said, “We are renowned for our high quality dishes, and that comes from the fantastic chefs working hard in the kitchen to create plates to suit all tastes and occasions.
“The standard of our chefs is fantastic and we love to challenge them to bring out their best, so congratulations to everyone who took part in our Buzzworks Cook ‘n’ Crown, and especially well done to Gabriella. Everyone can certainly be proud of their performance on the day.”
The award-winning business – voted one of The Sunday Times best 100 companies to work for in the UK – says that it is always on the lookout for chefs who are passionate about good food and want to work with the best.
Chef Chris Rouse is getting set to open his own restaurant Black Dove in Shawlands. The award winning chef was Head Chef at Celino’s for the past five years. During his time there Celino’s won the ‘Bistro of the Year’ title five times. Says Chris, “We are confident that Black Dove, along with all the exciting new and established bars and eateries, can help put Shawlands back on the map with great drink, better food and fantastic customers!” The new restaurant is at 67 Kilmarnock Road.
The Grapevine restaurant in Bothwell is under new ownership. Lynne McDougall and Derek McKinnon have taken over the lease, and hope to re-establish the restaurant in both the local and wider community with Chris Neely coming on board as chef.
Lynne told DRAM, “The restaurant had changed hands a few times in recent years, and we’re hoping to rebuild its reputation for good, quality food. Chris has a passion for quality food and I thought he was perfect for the role of Chef.”
Jacker De Viande (‘Meat Jacker’ in French) became the latest addition to the growing Glasgow burger scene when it opened on West Regent Street in November. The basement burger and cocktail bar now occupies what was formerly Osteria Piero and prior to that Boozy Rouge. The area is prime territory for burger bars, with Burger Meats Bun and The Meat Bar on the same street.
Jacker De Viande was two years in getting off the ground and owner and Head Chef Nick MacIntyre brings experience from top London venues including Nobu and The Ivy. Now Nick is keen to impart his philosophy of quality and consistency to gain a foothold in the booming burger market in the city, “High standards and consistency are key to success. I wouldn’t serve a dish to our customers that I wouldn’t serve to a critic.”
But it’s not the only new burger place. Dennistoun Bar-B-Que also opened at the end of the year at 585 Duke Street. It calls itself a Texan Dive in the heart of Dennistoun. But already it is proving a massive hit with its pulled pork and ribs.
The Lovat at Loch Ness now has a 3 AA Rosette. The AA announced the latest restaurants to be awarded the coveted new 3 and 4 AA Rosettes earlier this month, and The Lovat was one of only 19 restaurants nationwide to celebrate being awarded a new higher Rosette award. It was the only restaurant in Scotland receiving this recognition. The AA said of The Lovat, “Today’s hotel not only has a glossy sheen – a successful combination of period charm and modern style – but it’s run on sound eco-friendly principles (ask about the biomass wood chip boiler), so you can be sure everything you’re served in the restaurant is as local and sustainable as possible. In fact, there’s a lot going on in chef Sean Kelly’s world, for as well as being extremely choosy about the ingredients he uses in his five-course dinner menus, he’s also incredibly imaginative and creative, producing dishes that never fail to bring a smile to your face.”
Over the years I have met some great people in the trade, but some of them are really unsung heroes. Here’s my take on just some of the folk who I think have the impressibility factor.
James Brown – Manager, Rhoderick Dhu
James, is smart and sassy and is very definitely a career publican. He also gets a real buzz from motivating his staff. He picked up the Strongbow Manager of the Year title, and has won countless other accolades for his pub, the Rhoderick Dhu in Glasgow’s Waterloo Street. Why is he impressive? I get exhausted just talking to him, because he has a massive amount of energy, and he totally understands how the business works. He is an asset to Belhaven, because he is not content with the status quo and is always striving to drive the business forward. But perhaps this is where his experience kicks in because he has worked in the trade for more than 22 years. Pubs that he worked in include Lauders, The Waldorf in Cambridge St, Phileas Fogg, The Murray in East Kilbride, The Pines in Crookston and Molly Malone’s to name but a few! The day after the DRAM Awards he walked up Goat Fell for charity… impressive!
Georgie Bell – The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
I first met Georgie when she was working at Tigerlily and took part in the Mixxit Bar Apprentice Programme. At the time she was a student studying Geography. Today she is a Society Ambassador for The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and she has just put herself through a diploma in distillation with The Institute of Brewing and Distilling. I heard her describe the taste of John Walker & Sons Odyssey recently at a dinner, other guests were well-established whisky writers and bloggers. She very definitely held her own, and brought her own vocabularly to the tasting. It’s not a surprise that she is doing so well. With young experts and enthusiasts like Georgie getting behind whisky, it can only be great for the industry. She is also a regular tweeter. You can follow her at twitter.com/BellesWhisky
Peter Sim – General Manager, Fonab Castle
Peter is certainly one of the characters of the hospitality business, and he has a great sense of humour. At the same time he is the consumate professional and obviously a great ambassador of Scottish hospitality. He joined Fonab Castle at the beginning of the year, and it launched last month, but prior to that he won awards for his previous hotels – the Mary Culter House Hotel in Aberdeen the Cuillins Hotel in Skye and Dunalastair Hotel. He describes himself as “a self-motivated, passionate individual”. He certainly is. He is also passionate about his dog – Molly, a wirehaired Fox Terrier who he has trained to do a hotel walk – a leisurely stroll around the hotel. He believes that his staff should all enjoy their jobs, and he obviously enjoys his and he also has a passion for ensuring his guests have a wonderful stay. I am sure they do.
Tom Lewis, Monachyle MHOR/MHOR84…
Tom Lewis is a dynamo – he talks faster than I do, and that is saying something! When he is not cooking in the kitchen, he is cooking up ideas and growing the MHOR brand. Monachyle MHOR the hotel created by his parents, is in good hands with Tom, while his siblings and partners, focussed on building the business which now includes MHOR 84 Motel, a family-focussed restaurant, bar and motel. The other MHOR businesses are Fish – a fishmongers, restaurant, fish and chip shop, MHOR Bread – an Artisan bakery, tearoom and shop and MHOR Farm providing venison, sheep, cattle, pigs and hens from its 2000 acre estate and an outside catering business too. He and his family have established the MHOR Festival which takes place as the start of the summer. It includes baking competitions, a Great British Feast with food prepared by star Scottish chefs, beer festival, food market buffet, BBQ and many more activities for kids and adults as well as live music.
Executive Chef James Murphy – Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow
Chef Murphy and his Grand Central team including Head Chef Zoltan Szabo, came up with a banquet fit for a Queen at the DRAM Awards. They took the theme ‘The Coronation’ and after a tastings came back with a menu which proved to be a massive success with our guests. One said, “It’s the first time I have finished every morsel at a function in years.” The feedback, excuse the pun, was the best yet and unanimous! Chef Murphy who joined Grand Central from The Hilton Hotel, when it reopened a few years ago, originally studied under the guidance of Anton Mossiman at the prestigious Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane in London and over the years he has worked in a variety of top restaurants and hotels developing his skills. He is also award winning a past Scottish and he was also voted on to the Academy of Culinary Arts in 2005. But he really doesn’t like the limelight… but he and his team deliver. He has been known to say that “you are only as good as your last service”. I think everyone there will remember the DRAM 2013 meal for a long time to come, and for all the best reasons.
Karen McGregor – Area Manager for Colin Beattie
Karen has a wealth of experience in the licensed trade and she has brought that experience to Colin Beattie’s pub group as Area Manager – she looks after all his outlets outwith Oran Mor. She comes from a background which sees her phoning ahead as soon as she knows the boss is on the way to make sure everything is as it should be. She has her finger very firmly on the pulse when it comes to looking after Colin’s estate and she is on hand to sort problems, discuss numbers, negotiate buying deals and deal with staff. Her boss says she “has discipline and is not afraid to make tough decisions”, and calls her “one of my most professional employees”. That too comes from experience not only with Eagle Taverns but with Dark Star too. She admits she doesn’t party as much as she used to, but now and again can really let her hair down! The guys at Boteca Do Brasil might confirm that!
David Johnston – The Paper Mill & Montpeliers
David Wither always says that one of the reasons that Montpeliers has been so successful is that he has a great team around him, and one of his star players is David Johnston, who is Development Director. In fact DJ (as he is known) was the driving force behind the new look Indigo Yard (see design). In fact over the last 19 years he has been pivotal in developing Montpeliers outlets including Rick’s, Opal Lounge, the Candy Bar and Tigerlily and last year he also realised one of his other ambitions, to open his own place with Karen Calvert, and that is The Paper Mill in Lasswade – a lovely riverside bar and restaurant. There is no truth, however, to the rumour that his other ambition is to perform in a Frank Sinatra tribute band!
Catherine Conaghan – Sales Manager, Reserve Brands
If Diageo give watches for 20 years service Catherine is due one. I must have known her for at least 15 of these 20 years, and she is still as positive and motivated as she ever was. She epitomises what a professional sales person is all about – and delivers what she promises. She doesn’t just know her brands inside out, but she has a great understanding of the Scottish on-trade, and brings that knowledge to her team. She is also a great ambassador for Diageo/Reserve and is a very comfortable host at trade events, putting customers and journalists at their ease. You always find her the same, impeccably turned out and with a ready smile. Her bosses must be delighted to have retained her all these years, and even happier that she entered a competition in the first place, which led to the job.
Dennis Forsyth – Cheers Café Bar & Tavern, Fraserburgh
Dennis is a very motivated individual who has thrust his pub into the limelight by entering awards throughout the length and breadth of the UK. He now has a list of awards as long as his arm from trophies for the quality of his beer, to awards for training. There is no doubt about it he has firmly put his Fraserburgh pub Cheers on the map since taking it over 8 years ago. One of the most impressive things about Dennis is his vision for his pub – already he has added rooms, one of Scotland’s best outside areas, and earlier this year he added an outside bar, which is as well stocked as many cocktail bars in Glasgow! He doesn’t like to stand still, and he certainly hasn’t.
Peter McKenna and Ivan Stein the two chefs behind The Gannet in Finnieston are getting set to open late September. The 60-cover bar and eatery next to the Ben Nevis is running slightly behind schedule, but the two plan to open soon. Locals are expecting to see the new restaurant frequented by a star or two, due to the fact that Stein’s wife is actress Daniela Nardini. She has said that she will have to frequent the restaurant if she and her daughter want to see her husband for the next few years! The two chefs, who met while working for Michael Caines at Abode, will offer they say “fine dining food with the fuss.”
