The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Mason Belles heading
Chef Linsey Scott is to expand her restaurant concept, opening her fourth venture in the village of Ballinluig near Pitlochry, as Mariam Okhai discovers
Linsey Scott is taking her business north this summer opening her fourth restaurant venture, Mason Belles Kitchen Ballinluig, in the coming months. After launching her first venue in Linlithgow in 2018, another in Dunblane in 2019 and a third in Falkirk in 2021, the owner and chef director is taking her successful restaurant concept to the village which lies just off the A9 near Pitlochry.
The venue, which was formerly known as Red Brolly Inn, will be replaced with Linsey’s popular Scottish gastro restaurant brand.
SCOTTISH GASTRO PUB
She picked Ballinluig due to its accessibility throughout Scotland. Since the venue was previously an eatery it was well equipped with the right facilities, however Linsey has invested in redecorating it.
Mason Belles Kitchen Ballinluig will focus on gastro classics for lunch and dinner with a local, seasonal twist, and its menu will be very similar to the other restaurants in the portfolio.
Customers can expect everything from haggis pakora, smoked salmon cream cheese and chive bruschetta, homemade burgers, fish and chips, Cajun chicken pasta, steaks, and chefs specials using local seasonal produce like venison, pigeon and scallops on the menu.
Local Scottish beer and cider will be available on tap as well as a range of cocktails and spirits.
Breakfast options will include eggs Benedict, French toast, waffles, granola, avocado toast and other dishes. For those just looking to pop in for a coffee, tea or home baked goods, there will also be plenty to choose from.
HIGH QUALITY AND LOCAL PRODUCE
Having been a chef for almost 30 years, Linsey is keen to serve the best food Scotland has to offer, using local ingredients and producing all of the food in-house. She has employed manager Caroline Mccready to head up Mason Belles Kitchen Ballinluig to bring her concept to life.
Linsey said: “The opportunity came to us as we had a previous partnership with Fusion Group as they owned The Ballinluig Hotel.
“We are so excited to bring our high quality restaurant concept to this beautiful and highly accessible part of Scotland.
“We couldn’t ask for a better location, just off the A9 and within just a few miles of Pitlochry, where a myriad of daytrippers and tourists travel by while exploring Scotland.”
With a team of four employed, Linsey is currently recruiting more staff to help Caroline drive the business forward. She plans to open in the summer months.
Aside from being a restaurant, Linsey also uses her kitchens to train young people who are interested in pursuing
MASON BELLES KITCHEN BALLINLUIG WILL FOCUS ON GASTRO CLASSICS FOR LUNCH AND DINNER WITH A LOCAL, SEASONAL TWIST
a career in hospitality through an apprenticeship programme.
COOKING ACADEMY
The training academy, which launched a few months ago, helps provide staff development, too.
Linsey said: “They (staff) take advantage of our masterclasses and training sessions. We provide our apprentices with their own skills accreditation and with a full-time job at the other side.”
Mason Belles Kitchen also operates an outside catering service and they will also update the Linlithgow restaurant’s brand in the coming months.