Scotland's culinary talent is said to be ‘getting the recognition it deserves’ after a Perthshire restaurant was awarded a prestigious two Michelin Star rating this week.
At the Great Britain and Ireland Michelin Guide Ceremony in Manchester last night, the trailblazing Glenturret Lalique restaurant in Crieff was announced as a recipient of the double rating, putting it in the same league as the world’s most celebrated fine dining venues.
This status was previously only held in Scotland by Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at the Gleneagles Hotel, which achieved its second star in 2006 and has retained it every year since.
A spokesperson for The Glenturret Lalique last night said: “This is an ecstatic moment for us.
“We are all thrilled to have been awarded a second Michelin star and happy too that Scotland is getting the recognition it deserves as a gastronomic destination.
“We will all be enjoying a dram of Glenturret whisky to celebrate.”️
READ MORE: Michelin star distillery dining at The Glenturret Lalique restaurant
Located in the country’s oldest working distillery, The Glenturret Lalique was opened in 2021 with Mark Donald at its helm.
Having grown up in Torrance, a farming village on the outskirts of Glasgow, the chef first considered studying drama before early kitchen experience at Stravaigin in the city’s West End “opened his eyes to world cuisines”.
His newfound curiosity for culinary arts would later take him to Noma in Copenhagen, followed by stints at Restaurant Andrew Fairie, Hibiscus in London, Bentley in Sydney and Number One at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh where he secured a Michelin star in 2019.
After just seven months at The Glenturret Lalique, he achieved the same one-star status for the restaurant, making Glenturret the first distillery in the world to be recognised with the distinction.
“This intimate restaurant mixes the luxury with the familiar, in both its décor and its dishes,” the Michelin Guide states.
“The likes of tattie scones are served alongside Highland Wagyu and caviar, in a room that features both a rustic beamed ceiling and maple leaf Lalique chandeliers.
“Chef Mark Donald adeptly balances local and global influences in sophisticated, precisely crafted dishes with superb depth of flavour.”
A second Michelin star is awarded to restaurants which demonstrate “excellent cooking” that is “worth a detour”.
READ MORE: Scottish restaurant reveals what it takes to earn a Michelin Star
19 years since first being recognised with the double accolade, head chef Stephen McLaughlin and general manager Dale Dewsbury at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie have extended their heartfelt congratulations to Mark Donald and his team.
Dewsbury said: “It’s with great pride we can say that 2024 marks our 19th year of attaining two Michelin stars, but each year feels like the first.
“This is a fantastic year for Scotland, with The Glenturret Lalique also achieving two stars.
“Scotland is rich with outstanding produce, skill and talent, and fully deserves to be represented in the Michelin rankings.
“We’re proud to have another two Michelin star restaurant on our doorstep, showcasing Perthshire as Scotland’s culinary capital, and even more proud that it’s one of our Restaurant Andrew Fairlie alumni bringing the second star to the area.
“Huge congratulations to Mark and the team on a very well-deserved second Michelin star.”
Joining the Michelin inspectors in their appreciation for The Glenturret Lalique is the Herald’s restaurant critic Ron Mackenna, who in June last year described their cooking as ‘a culinary Champions League final’ and astutely stated ‘this place should have two Michelin stars’.
You can read the full review here.
A total of 1,162 restaurants are included in the selection for Great Britain and Ireland, with The Ledbury in London announced as the Guide’s ninth Three Michelin Star establishment.
Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides said: “The dining scene in Great Britain & Ireland continues to be both innovative and impressive.
"With a new Three Michelin Star and six new Two Star restaurants, the selection’s global standing has grown even further.
"Among all of the newly awarded Stars, both the quality and variety of the dining experiences are wonderful to see.
"There are enormously talented chefs turning their hands to anything from wood-fired sharing plates to finely tuned sushi.
"To have so much positive news to share with the industry, at a time when restaurants are facing so many challenges, gives me great pride and is proof of the continued vitality within British and Irish dining."
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