The Old Manse of Blair in Blair Atholl has appointed Iain Nicholson as Head Chef of its 5-star Orangery restaurant.
Scottish-born Nicholson’s career, which spans more than a decade, has seen him travel the world working in senior positions including Head Chef at the Vie Montagne restaurant in Verbier, Switzerland, Mingary Castle on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula and Head Chef at 18 Restaurant and Bar at the Machrie hotel on Islay. Iain also created and runs No Bad Food Lab, a progressive Scottish food project promoting foraging.
A passionate forager, he also created and runs No Bad Food Lab, a progressive Scottish food project promoting foraging, Iain champions local produce and sustainability with his menus reflecting his passion, a cooking style heavily inspired by nature.
Iain said “It’s a real joy to join The Old Manse of Blair. I’ve travelled the world with my career but there’s something so magical and unique about Perthshire, especially our little part of Scotland with its scenery and abundance of wonderful produce on hand.”
“The changing seasons drive everything we create at the Old Manse of Blair. Our guests should be able to shut their eyes and instantly know what time of year it is and where they are in the world simply by taste. Foraging is a passion of mine, I love experimenting with the vast array of delicious in-season ingredients which the Scottish climate lends itself to from mushrooms, nuts and berries to indigenous beef, venison and game birds such as wild grouse, partridge and woodcock, and our seafood, which is world renowned. We’re serving up a true taste of highland hospitality here.”
Anne Macdonald, owner of The Old Manse of Blair said, “It’s wonderful to have Iain on board, we have worked hard to build our reputation as a destination for dining excellence, and Iain shares our passion for Scottish produce, seasonality and hospitality. His culinary expertise is incredible, we’re looking forward to our guests experiencing everything that he is renowned for and brings in terms of his culinary expertise. ”