EAT&DR|NK Corporate invaders
They came, some conquered — others failed and retreated south. Barry Shelby looks at the big-name restaurants in Scotland.
hen celebrity chef (iary
Rhodes set out his stall
in lidinburgh at the end of the l‘)‘)()s. it helped to certify that a cosmopolitan dining culture was established in Scotland. Never mind that lidinburgh already supported such urbane outfits such as Atrium and (lit/)Henry or that (ilasgow could boast the Ubiquitous (‘hip and a Michelin star at Andrew l‘airlie‘s ()ne l)evonshire (iardens. These were local acts. setting the table for some of the big boys from down south.
After Rhodes and (‘o. (‘onr'an Restaurants followed. first with Zinc at Ocean 'l‘erminal. l.eith. and later in (ilasgow with another Zinc and posher ‘destination restaurant’. etain. In between Sir 'l‘erence‘s bi— coastal landings. Harvey Nichols (ostensibly a department store. but one with an aggressively marketed catering wing) arrived at St Andrew‘s Square with liorth l’loor Restaurant & Brasserie. Not just gourmet operations came across the border. YolSushi took tip residency in Rose Street. as well. Of course. Glasgow landed the biggest catch of them all: the great Gordon Ramsay launched Amaryllis with tremendous fanfare in 2()()l.
It seems like aeons ago. Rhodes and (‘o is history and even Ramsay's prickly remarks in the press about the inability of his ‘liometown‘ to sustain the fine
dining that he offered have long since lost their sting. YolStrshi became NolSushi earlier this year.
But still they come. London- based conglomerate Searcy"s rtms the (iallery Restaurant (see review) at the new Weston Link on the Mound and Amaryllis has been replaced by an ambitious upstart based in Leeds: Room. Not to mention \N'agamama. How will they fare'.’ Will they mimic l‘orth l‘loor or etain. receiving both popular and critical acclaim'.’ ()r are they llashcs in the proverbial pan'.’
As leader of the (ilasgow Restatrrateurs‘ Association. Alan 'l'omkins works with both corporate owned and small privately held enterprises. ‘litain is a good example of a big company doing a good job.‘ he says. But 'l‘omkins. with the successful Papingo. (iamba and (‘afe ()stra in his own portfolio. adds that prosperity comes down to three elements: location. quality product and strong staff.
While larger operators can bring in ‘proven systems‘. poor day-to— day management can be any system‘s downfall. he says. 'Regardless of whether it‘s a chain operation or run by a local entrepreneur. it‘s the basics we have to fall back on..
litain hired restaurant manager Graham Hamilton. who brought local experience and knowledge to the (‘onran operation. while its chef
New venture Room will be hoping it
does better than its immediate
predeccessor, the equally ambitious
Amaryllis. Gallery Restuarant, right, hits the right spot.
(ieoffrey Smeddle has shown he has the chops. Similarly. l‘orth l'iloor's chef Stuart .‘yluir has impressed sceptics of Harvey Nicks. (‘tlriouslyz liorth liloor‘s association with the tiber-posh shop might actually have discouraged punters initially. Big brands. like leading politicians. can alienate and impress in equal measure.
Simon Preston. hospitality manager at Harvey Nichols. acknowledges this btrt adds that perceptions don‘t always match reality. The company gives forth liloor freedom to its own thing. The brasserie and restaurant has kept prices competitive and ‘tries to make people. however they’re dressed.
PROSPERITY COMES DOWN TO LOCATION, QUALITY PRODUCT AND STRONG STAFF
feel welcome. In the end it's about lunch and dinner. and doing that to the best of your ability.~
l’rom head chef Muir‘s perspective. he cooks in a restaurant that just happens to be on top of a department store. He says that the only 'fashiolr that you see in lioth
tr»
liloor is cuisine inspired by fresh Scottish produce. '“t‘ have good team working for Harvey Nichols] Muir says. ‘;\s a brand. they are very careful at recruiting.‘
Back in (ilasgow. at the venerable Buttery restaurant. proprietor lan l‘lcming acquired the landmark operation in 2t)()2. after corporate caretakers. l’unch. had written it off as unviable. 'l'wo years on. the Buttery was named .»\.'\ Scottish Restaurant of the Year. ‘('orporate ow ncrs tend to understand brands and they know how to deliver them] l’leming says. They have deeper pockets btrt can also be obsessed with the bottom line. He claims private owners. such as himself. cant ignore profitability but they are more 'ctrsttinter-driven~ and 'dynamic‘. The result is restaurants with ’more colour and character“. But don't expect to see Buttery restaurants popping tip elsewhere. "l‘hc Buttery has profited from having a private owner. but that probably means it will always be a one-off.~
In the end. like so rntrch in food. it comes down to healthy balance: local enterprises complemented but not swamped by corporate brands. Alan 'l‘omkins agrees that the very fact that the major operators want to do business here is a tacit compliment to the dining scene. It shows that they rate us as discerning diners.
' 27 0’.‘ PW.“- THE LIST 107