The US firm behind the launch of a collection of luxury Scottish resorts has appointed one of the country’s most acclaimed chefs in the latest phase of its Scottish golf coast project.
Derek Johnstone, winner of the inaugural Masterchef the Professionals competition in 2008, will head up the kitchens at Rusacks St Andrews when it re-opens in July. The hotel, which overlooks the 18th green at the historic Old Course, is undergoing major renovations under the ownership of US-based Adventurous Journey (AJ) Capital Partners, which purchased the property from Macdonald Hotels in a deal announced in November 2019.
Rusacks will be the first of three Scottish properties under AJ Capital Partners’ Marine & Lawn brand. Marine North Berwick is also due to open in July, while Marine Troon will officially join the collection after renovations are completed in the spring of next year.
Mr Johnstone takes on the role of executive head chef at the 120-room Rusacks, which will feature three new dining concepts: “18”, The Bridge, and One Under Bar. He joins from Borthwick Castle, where he was twice runner-up in National Chef of the Year and was shortlisted for Scottish Chef of the Year at the 2021 CIS Excellence Awards.
Designed as a “destination” rooftop restaurant, 18 will use the facility’s state-of-the-art Robata grill to focus on open-flame cooked dishes and contemporary game and seafood. The restaurant sits on the fourth floor of the new extension to the previous footprint with a full glass wall offering panoramic views across the Old Course, West Sands and the North Sea.
The ground floor will house The Bridge, a more casual all-day dining option. Completing the new offering is the One Under Bar, an intimate underground venue serving pub favourites, beers, whiskies and cocktails. It aims to embody the Scottish spirit of camaraderie and will host live music.
READ MORE: Luxury Marine & Lawn Hotels collection ‘along the Scottish golf coasts’ launched
Mr Johnstone, who won the Masterchef Professionals competition at the age of 24, has worked with some of the world’s most renowned chefs including Michael Roux Jr and Albert Roux. His CV also includes stints in Michelin-starred kitchens around Europe including Le Gavroche in London, Belgium’s De Karmeliet and DO near Milan.
“My philosophy of cooking beautiful Scottish produce – showing it the respect it deserves and letting the food do the talking – will run through the menus at 18, The Bridge and One Under Bar," he said. "I’m delighted to join the team at Rusacks St Andrews and look forward making it one of the best hotels in the country to eat and drink at.”
AJ Capital Partners is working with restaurant developer White Rabbit Projects to launch and run all food and beverage outlets at Rusacks St Andrews and Marine North Berwick. Founded by former Soho House Group director Chris Miller, White Rabbit has worked on UK hospitality concepts such as Kricket, Lina Stores and Island Poke since it was set up in 2016.
In addition to the Marine & Lawn properties in Scotland, White Rabbit is also working with AJ Capital to develop and operate the restaurants, bars and event spaces across the US group’s new hotels in Cambridge and Oxford operating under the Graduate Hotels brand.
Marine North Berwick will offer 84 guest rooms and overlooks the 16th hole of the West Links course at North Berwick Golf Club. AJ Capital Partners announced the acquisition of the former Macdonald property in February 2020.
The Marine Troon was acquired in October 2020 from former owners Cannock Group and Stellar Asset Management, who had started renovations on the 89-bedroom property earlier that year. The hotel features unobstructed views of the 1st and 18th fairways of Royal Troon’s Old Course.
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