County winners at food awards
Praveen Kumar and his wife Several Perthshire businesses were crowned at national awards for outstanding food.
At the Food Awards Scotland in Glasgow on Monday there were two wins for Knock Castle Hotel and Spa in Crieff.
The hotel’s Rooftop Restaurant took hotel restaurant of the year in the central region.
And the night brought more success as the hotel’s owner and head chef Jason Henderson went on to win the national prize.
Jason said: “I was over the moon that we won the regional section and didn’t expect to take the top prize.
“We were in a tough category and we were thrilled to just be nominated along with some of the other hotel restaurants.
“We’ve had a fantastic year so far and it’s all down to the hard work and dedication of the team at Knock Castle.”
Independent fishmonger Fish in Crieff was named best Scottish fresh seafood supplier. George Campbell & Sons from Perth was also a finalist.
Jason Henderson said: “I was really pleased to see one of my local suppliers, Fish in Crieff, win an award too. It was a lucky night for the town.”
The fish business, which incorporates a deli, is owned by Willie Little, who also runs Little’s Restaurant in Rattray.
Mr Little said: “With so many independent retailers forced off the high street these days by supermarkets and online shopping, it’s fantastic to be recognised in this way.
“We like to think of ourselves as a proper, old-fashioned fishmongers. We know where all our stock comes from and it’s brought in fresh every day. ”
Two big names in Perth’s Indian food scene came away smiling.
The award for best Indian establishment went to Nawaab of Perth.
Praveen Kumar’s Indian Cook School took the award for cookery Jason Henderson school of the year.
Popular Perth Italian The Grand Italia was shortlisted for best Italian establishment.
Pitlochry had a series of winners, with the award for cafe/bistro of the year (north) going to Victoria’s Restaurant and hotel restaurant of the year (north) being won by The Old Mill Inn.
Dairy food provider of the year went to Robertson’s Dairy in Blairgowrie.
The Tower Gastro Pub and Apartments in Crieff, The Moulin Inn, Pitlochry, and Dunning’s Kirkstyle Inn were all finalists for gastro pub of the year.
A spokesperson for Food Awards Scotland said: “We are very delighted to have welcomed such great finalists and winners and celebrated the food industry with them.
“These people enhance the country’s reputation nationally and internationally and we wanted to make sure that the hard work of Scottish food professionals doesn’t go unnoticed.”