Douneside House in Tarland, Aberdeenshire scooped the coveted Hotel Chef of the Year award at the prestigious Scottish Hotel Awards.
At the high-profile ceremony, held on Sunday evening at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh, David Butters took to the stage to accept his award; a much sought after mark of culinary expertise and innovation. Douneside also scooped Scotland’s Fine Dining Hotel of the Year.
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Thirty five year old Head Chef Butters says, “I’m delighted, humbled, proud and honoured to be recognised in this manner. Taking the Hotel Chef of the Year award back to Aberdeenshire to share with the team will be a great moment. We all put time, effort and dedication into our cuisine, creating an innovative menus, including a six course Tasting Menu and we’ve recently launched a new, exclusive Dining Club. I couldn’t have won Hotel Chef of the Year without the support of my incredible team.”
Douneside also won the North East regional awards in the Boutique Hotel, Country House Hotel, Family Hotel, Fine Dining Hotel and Small Country Hotel categories. ‘People of Excellence’ included: Marcel Wassen, nominated for General Manager of the Year; Cameron Smith, for Hotel Sous Chef of the Year; Carolanne Duncan, in the Housekeeper of the Year nominations; and Joseph Harte, nominated for Pastry Chef of the Year.
Run by the not-for-profit MacRobert Trust, Douneside House opened its doors in June 2016. It now boasts the only triple AA rosette restaurant in Aberdeen and shire, it’s the AA Hotel of the Year Scotland 2017/18, its grounds are recognised as a RHS Partner Garden, and last year the MacRobert Trust donated £1 million to charity.
General Manager Marcel Wassen added, “Douneside House is a very special country house hotel, offering thirteen elegantly furnished bedrooms, and a range of holiday apartments and cottages, which are perfect for families or friends travelling together. To receive such recognition for our outstanding restaurant at the Scottish Hotel Awards is a triumph.”
