Masterchef finalist Dean to open pub

According to Dean Banks, the Masterchef: The Professionals 2018 finalist could not find the perfect pub in Scotland. So instead, he decided to create his own.

Set to open The Forager, in Dollar, Clackmannanshire, on December 2, the new venue will see the Scottish chef serve up his take on traditional pub food.

Located in the former King Seat Bar on Bridge Street that changed to The Inn at Dollar, the esteemed chef has now taken over the venue after spending 18 months searching for the “perfect pub”.

Dean will invest around £100,000 into the premises takeover and will update the kitchen.

The pub was renovated nine months ago by The Inn at Dollar team and Dean says he will not be updating its interior as it is already “very much his style”.

“I wanted to find a really nice pub which was renovated to a high standard. I viewed many around the Fife area then this one just came about and I loved it,” he added.

The Forager is the latest addition to Dean’s collective of businesses which include The Pompadour and Dulse in Edinburgh, Haar St Andrews, Haar At Home, Waagyu Burger, Mond Vodka and Lunun Gin.

Dean’s twist on the perfect country pub is something he has wanted to progress for a long time. Although he jokes that it is “sort of” a Christmas present to himself.

He said: “I absolutely love stumbling across a beautiful country pub, finding that hidden gem that’s got the lot. It’s something chefs like Tom Kerridge do in England but we haven’t really had much of the same up here. I want the kind of pub I would love to find myself in, so that’s what The Forager is.”

While the focus at Haar and Pompadour is fine dining, the latest enterprise is an altogether different proposition. And Dean says it’s “a proper pub”.

“There’s nothing overly fancy. This is somewhere to relax and unwind, not dress up. It’s classic pub food, but sourced, prepared and cooked to the highest levels just like in all of my restaurants.”

The change of management will also see around 20 staff join Dean Banks’ roster.

Most of the staff will be kept on from the previous entity, and some of the chef ’s top talent, including executive chef Dan Ashmore and Ruairi Mitchell, operations manager at Haar, will be helping out, too.

With a focus on quality local Scottish produce, the team will be using the same suppliers across the business.

Dean added: “The food is going to be spectacular. Proper pub classics, but cooked my way using the very best Scottish ingredients. Steak pie, ham, egg and chips with huge chunky slices of perfect ham, and fish and chips the way you dream of it.

“We aren’t reinventing the wheel here – this is somewhere everyone can feel welcome.”

NEW VENTURE: Dean at The Forager in Clackmannanshire which opens next month.