Top chef can't find fresh fish - in Lochinver! - Northern Times
"I don't blame the fishermen for a second - they have to sell to the highest bidder and buyers on the Continent pay a big premium for Scottish produce," he said. "It is well known abroad that Scotland is the larder for oysters, scallops, fantastic turbot and langoustines.
"However, I do think there is a market now developing in Scotland because there are now some fantastic restaurants here and a real interest in food." Mr Roux also spoke of his delight at his new association with Lochinver and revealed that he had first visited the port half a century ago.
"I was on my way to John O'Groats with my children. It was around lunchtime and the kids were screaming that they were hungry," he said.
"A sign said 'Lochinver 6 miles' and I thought 'Let's go down there to find something to eat.' We loved it so much that we finished up staying for five days in bed and breakfast! "When I was told recently that there was an opportunity for me to come to Lochinver, they didn't have to say any more - straightaway I was interested and, again, I have not been disappointed - apart from the fishing factor." Mr Roux was accompanied to Lochinver this week by his consultant chef, Glen Watson, who confirmed that staff had been taken aback by the irony of working in a fishing port but being unable to find any fish.
Mr Watson said: "We can see the boats from our kitchen window and we think to ourselves that there must be some fabulous fish down there. We thought it would be very easy to source fish, but that is not the case." The new 40-cover "Chez Roux" restaurant has been opened up in the Inver Lodge Hotel, owned by Robin Vestey but now run by Fort-William based Inverlochy Castle Management International (ICMI), a consulting and management service to the hotel and hospitality industry.
The company also runs the five-star Inverlochy Castle Hotel near Fort William and the Rocpool Reserve in Inverness as well as hotels in Ayrshire, East Lothian and Italy.
ICMI managing director Norbert Lieder said his firm had taken over the running of the 21-bedroom wInver Lodge in July last year and it had since undergone a total refurbishment.
"We're delighted to have such a really wonderful and comfortable hotel in this part of Scotland and we very much hope it is going to be used by locals as well as tourists," he said. "It's not just a hotel - we have a wonderful dining menu." Mr Lieder felt that Lochinver, which already has a Michelin starred restaurant in the Albannach Hotel, was now firmly on the map as regards fine dining.
ICMI already has a Chez Roux restaurant at the Rocpool Reserve, and are about to establish a third at Greywalls Hotel in Gullane, East Lothian.
The launch of the new-look Inver Lodge and Chez Roux was celebrated on Wednesday with a cookery demonstration, lunch, dinner and overnight stay for media representatives from across the North and members of the local community.
Speaking at the start of the dinner Robin Vestey said the decision to hand the property over to ICMI had been done "with the very best of intentions" not just for Lochinver as a village but for Assynt as an area.
He said: "Last season was the busiest tourist season the Highlands has known in many a year, due to the weakness of the pound and what became known as 'staycations'.
“But those ‘staycationers’ turned right at the Skiag Bridge because of a sign saying ‘John O’Groats - 150 miles.’ What they did not see was the sign saying ‘Lochinver - 10 miles.’
“The village has got its first Michelin Star and that should be enough to get people to add 10 miles to their journey.
“We have a fantastic view over the harbour – you can see the Hebrides on a bright day – and I really hope this development will attract people to Lochinver to the benefit of all.”
Bookmark this
