Glasgow's Cail Bruich has second Michelin star in its sight as it prepares to reopen

A sign that reflects the quality, effort and outstanding culinary offerings that earned the west end eaterie one of the most highly prized accolades in the hospitality industry.

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Later this month head chef Lorna McNee and her team will be able to welcome diners back for the first time in several months and the first time since the award was announced in January - in the middle of lockdown.

There will be a new menu to reflect the change in seasons with Scottish produce taking centre stage at the Great Western Road venue.

Cail Bruich head chef Lorna McNee pictured in the kitchen polishing the Michelin star plaque that the restaurant received. Photograph by Colin Mearns.

“It is a great time and we are very enthusiastic about reopening and being able to bring everyone back and it is rather nice to see the plaque there on the wall when you come into work. The Michelin star has brought great joy and while it was disappointing that we couldn’t share it with people at the time in lockdown, it makes it all the more exciting when we do open the doors and welcome people in,” said Ms McNee, who trained with the late Andrew Fairlie at his two Michelin star restaurant at the five star Gleneagles hotel.

Cail Bruich head chef Lorna McNee pictured in the kitchen at the west end restaurant. Photograph by Colin Mearns.

“I don’t think there is any feeling like it having a Michelin star. It is amazing and for me as a young chef starting out that is what I strived for. It is quite surreal.

“Reopening will be about a celebration and it is a time when people will once again be able to mark important milestones and come together in a way they have not be able to recently. It is not just about making great food, it is about being able to bring people into the restaurant and to start to enjoy themselves again.”

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While diners have still be able to connect with Cail Bruich through the hugely successful dine at home menus, reopening as a Michelin star restaurant while undoubtedly spark a lot of interest.

“I think we will get a variety of people through our doors. There are people who travel to Michelin star restaurants from all over the UK, we have our loyal customers and then there might be people in the Glasgow area who haven’t had the opportunity to go to a Michelin star restaurant before and will come along,” added the 33-year-old from Morayshire. “We know that what we do won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but there will be people who will want to come now because we have the Michelin star.”

Cail Bruich head chef Lorna McNee pictured in the kitchen at the restaurant. Sitting on the rhubarb is a model of Bibendum (aka the Michelin Man) that she purchased when she discovered that she had been awarded a Michelin star. Photograph by Colin

Congratulations came in from the Glasgow hospitality industry and further afield when the announcement was made. There was also messages from fellow Michelin starred chefs now that Ms McNee and Cail Bruich have joined the elite club. Following on from the Michelin star, champagne house Krug invited Ms McNee to become an Ambassade, part of a network of top chefs who develop dishes paired with the fine brand.

“Glasgow was very supportive of us when we received the award and we had lots of lovely messages," said the head chef who was just five months into her new role when they were awarded the star. "We really felt that the city had got behind us. The Michelin star is a great boost to the city and the hospitality industry in Glasgow. It can make others more competitive and to strive to be as good as they can and it also made people happy that someone had brought a Michelin star back to the city.”

Menu planning has been underway for some time and the restaurant opened its reservation book last Friday, April 30, to welcome people back on Wednesday May 19. And while not giving too many secrets away, there is a little hint of what diners can expect.

Ms McNee added: “It will be a tasting menu we have on offer when we reopen. There won’t be a massive change, but we want to continually get better and better in everything we do.

“When we closed our doors before lockdown, it was autumn and as someone who is passionate about seasonal produce, so the menu is going to reflect summer and late spring. Scottish asparagus will be in season when we open so expect to see that on the menu along with langoustines which are my absolute favourite. We are also experimenting with duck dishes and how long we are going to age it.

“The team have been tasters, from the kitchen to front of house. Their input and opinion is important. With young chefs they might not have a fully developed palate yet so it is about bringing them on and with front of house it is important they know about the suppliers, how it tastes, to be able to help diners make their informed choice.”

The Cail Bruich team already had a good relationship with suppliers in the area and across Scotland when they were awarded the Michelin star, but it did lead to some people getting in touch with them direct.

“There have been some places who got in touch such as Blackthorn Scottish Sea Salt [from Ayrshire] who sent their product which is phenomenal. So we will be using that because I think it is a great product and offers something in terms of taste.”

Cail Bruich general manager Chris Donnachie holding the Michelin star plaque that the restaurant received recently. Photograph by Colin Mearns.

When bookings opened on Friday, general manager Chris Donnachie said they weren’t quite sure what to expect following lockdown closures. However, they weren’t left disappointed as by the end of the day they were fully booked to near the end of June, the period of time they had opened bookings up for.

“I think there was a little apprehension as we had been closed for some months now, but the response has been quite unbelievable,” said Mr Donnachie. “We are fully booked through to near the end of June which was the point we wanted to get to as covid restrictions may well ease further from then.

“When Cail Bruich was awarded the Michelin star earlier this year, we would have loved to have been able to open the next day to mark that but it was a time of lockdown. Such a huge part of what we do and revel in is the social interaction with our guests. Scotland has such a warmth in the sense of its hospitality and we love providing that experience.”

Working in partnership with Scottish brands to develop their own offerings has seen Cail Bruich work with Glasgow-based The Garden Shed Drinks Company to stock their own gin, a collaboration with beer firm Pilot and they are also planning to stock their own tonic water through a link up with Walter Gregor’s handcrafted tonic firm.

As for the future the Cail Bruich team believe a second Michelin star is not an unrealistic expectation and they have also added to the team with the addition of two new front of house staff and two new kitchen staff.

“When we reopen we want to smash it out the park and exceed expectations and we certainly do have aspirations for a second star,” added Mr Donnachie. “We believe we have the capability to do that with a fantastic team.”