Aberdeen-based chef Peter Thompson came away with one of the top honours from the Scottish Excellence Awards.
Mr Thompson leads the culinary team at P&J Live.
He won the banqueting and events chef gong at last night’s big awards bash in Edinburgh.
A professional cook for more than 36 years, his hospitality career started with a job washing dishes at a hotel in Andover, Hampshire.
Andy Murray adds to trophy cabinet
Other winners at the Scottish Hospitality Awards – billed as “the ultimate accolade for businesses and individuals working in Scottish hospitality, foodservice and tourism” – included tennis ace Andy Murray.
Murray and his wife, Kim, purchased the five-star Cromlix Hotel – near his hometown of Dunblane – in 2013. They celebrated their wedding there in 2015.
Their hotel reopened last March after an extensive refurbishment.
It triumphed in the independent hotel of the year category at last night’s awards.
Mrs Murray said: “The hotel has had a remarkable 12 months and the team have worked incredibly hard to continue delivering an outstanding experience for our guests.
“I’m so proud we’ve been recognised with this amazing award. We’re excited for the future of Cromlix and hope we can continue to offer Scottish excellence to every guest.”
Cromlix’s executive head chef Darin Campbell was voted chef of the year.
Finalists in the chef of the year category included Kevin Dalgleish, of Aberdeen’s Amuse Restaurant. Amuse was a runner-up in the restaurant newcomer section.
Calum Montgomery, chef patron of Edinbane Lodge on Skye, was also a finalist in the chef of the year category. Edinbane was named Scotland’s best restaurant last year.
Meanwhile, a Perthshire eatery with an “adventurous” tasting menu, Killiecrankie House, in Pitlochry, was named best restaurant in Scotland.
Tom Tsappis and Matilda Ruffle quit their London-based jobs in finance and advertising to buy the prestigious country house for nearly £1.2 million in 2020.
They invested another £600,000 refurbishing the property before reopening the restaurant, with rooms, the following year
Killiecrankie House was also named runner-up in the independent hotel of the year category.
Rachel and Graham Bucknall’s Ship Inn, overlooking Elie Bay, took the pub excellence award.
The group hotel of the year award went to the 240-bedroom Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian.
Italian-inspired Celentano’s in Glasgow was voted restaurant newcomer of the year.
Lewis MacDonald, sous chef at the Cail Bruich restaurant in Glasgow was named young chef of the year.
A lifetime excellence award was presented to David Cochrane, chief executive of Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland.
The awards ceremony took place at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in the capital.
Conversation