TENNIS champ Andy Murray scored a two sets victory when his hotel took top honours in Scotland’s hospitality awards last night.
The five-star Cromlix Hotel, which Andy bought with wife Kim in 2013, took the Independent Hotel of the Year title in the Scottish Excellence Awards, ahead of Highland Perthshire’s Killiecrankie House.
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And Cromlix’s Executive Head Chef Darin Campbell was voted Chef of the Year.
Darin has held the post for the last 11 years before which he worked at One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow and the two Michelin-Star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles.
Cromlix, the setting for two-time Wimbledon champ Andy and Kim’s wedding in 2015, is a luxury Victorian mansion and estate near Andy’s home town of Dunblane.
It re-opened in March last year after extensive refurbishment overseen by Kim.
She 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.”
Finalists in the Chef of the Year category included Kevin Dalgleish of Aberdeen’s Amuse Restaurant, which was a runner-up in the Restaurant Newcomer section, Lorna McNee of Cail Bruich in Glasgow, last year’s Restaurant of the Year champion, Calum Montgomery of Edinbane Lodge on the Isle of Skye, and Dean Parker of Celentano’s, Glasgow.
The awards, presented at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in Edinburgh last night, are billed as ‘the ultimate accolade for businesses and individuals working in Scottish hospitality, foodservice and tourism.’
Killiecrankie House, run by chef Tom Tsappis and his partner Matilda Ruffle, took another of the main awards – Restaurant of the Year – ahead of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns’ one-time favourite howff, the Globe Inn in Dumfries.
After quitting their jobs in finance and advertising in London to take over the renowned establishment near Pitlochry in 2022, Tom and Matilda set about reinvigorating Killicrankie and its restaurant. Their respective half Greek-Cypriot/half Japanese roots are evident in the menus.
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Group Hotel of the Year went to the 240-bedroom Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian, seeing off challenges from Apex Waterloo Place in the capital and Duisdale House on the Isle of Skye – winner of the category in 2018.
Rachel and Graham Bucknall’s Ship Inn, overlooking Elie Bay in Fife, took the Pub Excellence Award ahead of the Highly Commended Boar’s Head in Auchtermuchty, and McLarens on the Corner in Edinburgh’s Morningside.
Rachel said: “We’re absolutely delighted to accept the award on behalf of our team. They work tirelessly to give our customers wonderful service and great food in a fabulous location, always with smiles on their faces. This is a testament to their hard work.”
The Real Mary’s King’s Close tourism attraction in Edinburgh, won the Wellbeing in Hospitality Award.
The Italian-inspired Celentano’s in Glasgow was voted Restaurant Newcomer of the Year, with Edinburgh Street Food, a grouping of 10 independent traders in Leith Street, taking away a Highly Commended rating in the category.
Young Chef of the Year went to Lewis MacDonald, sous chef at Cail Bruich in Glasgow, with Jack Coghill, 24, of Jack ‘O’ Bryan’s Bar and Kitchen in Dunfermline taking Highly Commended.
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Employee of the Year was awarded to Hassan Mohamud Mbirikany, a Masai Warrior from Kenya, who is the Junior Assistant Manager at the Cairndale Hotel and Spa in Dumfries.
For more information see scottishexcellenceawards.com