The Torridon has appointed Alex Henderson as the new resort head chef. He will lead the resort’s fine-dining 1887 restaurant and oversee the Bo & Muc brasserie offering.
Born and raised in Inverness, Alex returns to The Torridon having previously worked in the kitchen as junior sous chef. He joins from one of Newcastle’s most celebrated restaurants, the Michelin-starred House of Tides, where he was sous chef under acclaimed chef patron Kenny Atkinson. He now takes the helm of 1887 and the brasserie Bo & Muc, bringing his first-hand knowledge and love of the area to create unique flavours in his food.
The new menu will mix modern British and Scottish cooking with Alex’s inspiration from around the world. Alongside traditional ingredients, he is also bringing authenticity to his cooking by using unusual elements, only available at The Torridon. These include salt water sourced from Loch Torridon, seaweed from the shores around him and vinegar and oil infused with pine needles from the estate.
“There are 20-30 types of seaweed and herbs growing in the loch,” Alex says. “The estate is full of edible flowers, gorse and mushrooms and I would like to use local honey which is infused with local heather pollen growing wild around us. It’s all about creating clean, crisp food that tastes as good as it looks.”
A new cake selection is also being created for The Torridon’s Afternoon Tea and will include a coffee-caramel choux, whisky Fudge, and lemon elderflower swiss roll – all sourced from the freshest ingredients.
About his appointment, The Torridon’s Owner Dan Rose-Bristow says, “We are delighted to welcome Alex back to the team. As a passionate local, we love seeing his enthusiasm for the estate, the nature and what it offers. At The Torridon we are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to unique ingredients, and with Alex’s vision and creativity, the food alone will be worth the trip.”