Killiecrankie House, in the heart of Highland Perthshire, opened under new ownership this week. Owners, chef Tom Tsappis and his sommelier wife Matilda will welcome guests to experience their little slice of luxury and gastronomy in the Cairngorm National Park.
Tom, who trained at Leiths and was the first recipient of two of its coveted annual awards and his wife Matilda, who previously ran the popular supper club Elia London, have created a boutique bolthole that’s been designed by them as a food-lovers retreat. Tom will be overseeing the multi-course tasting menu in the 18-cover open restaurant kitchen, and at the adjacent chefs table which is at the heart of the house. Sommelier Matilda will host guests front of house with help from the chefs who’ve created the dishes.
They have committed to creating menus that truly reflect Scotland, giving diners not only a taste of the country’s produce but one that represents what Scots really love to eat, drawing upon both contemporary and heritage dishes for inspiration and working with local suppliers and using home grown and locally foraged produce.
Matilda’s drinks list has been designed to complement the cooking with a diverse food pairing menu including beer, wine, sake and cocktails, as well as an interesting non-alcoholic pairing of juices, teas and infusions. Matilda’s approach is to offer a combination of ‘classics’ vs ‘off the beaten track’, including wines from her family vineyard; Treaty Port in China; a beer made in collaboration with local brewery, Wasted Degrees; soft drinks from Bad Gal Boocha and Rapscallion plus tea and coffee from The Rare Tea Company and Glen Lyon Roastery in Aberfeldy.
The colour palette throughout is a calm, sophisticated deep blue with dark wood floors and eclectic hints of colour in the artwork and even in the hand-painted wash basins which were sourced from The London Basin Company. The selection of chandeliers and lights from Pooky in Chelsea hint at decadent times gone by as does the vintage 1960’s record player and mid-century furniture. Upstairs are four generous four-poster bedrooms and a master suite (which comes with the chef’s table experience), each one uniquely shaped, due to the age of the property and with the original shutters restored.