Lochaline

A LOCHALINE restaurant has been named regional winner for Scotland in the Waitrose Good Food Guide Local Restaurant of the Year Awards.

The Whitehouse Restaurant was nominated by its customers to be the top local choice.

Owned by Sarah Jones and Jane Stuart- Smith, The Whitehouse prides itself on cooking with locally-sourced ingredients, including vegetables grown in the restaurant garden and Isle of Mull lobsters.

It was the wide variety of locally available ingredients that attracted head chef Mike Burgoyne to The Whitehouse five years ago.

The Good Food Awards are marking their tenth year with a strong focus on local eateries.

Speaking about The Whitehouse, Waitrose Good Food Guide editor Elizabeth Carter said: ‘Mike Burgoyne is a skilled chef using fabulous ingredients, serving them beautifully but with bags of enthusiasm and fun.

‘He knows how to write a menu too, with Highland this and Scottish that, so you end up wanting to eat everything. And the blackboard menu gets rewritten on the spot as new produces comes in. Why aren’t there more places like this?’

Sarah Jones said: ‘The Whitehouse team are totally blown away by the news. This is so huge for such a small, locallyrun restaurant on the west coast.

‘ We have always prided ourselves on showcasing Morvern, Lochaber and Scotland, so to be recognised for this is immense.

‘The fact it has been through customer recommendation that we have received this award makes it even more special to us.

‘A heartfelt thanks to everyone who has endorsed, supplied and eaten with us – not forgetting the community of Lochaline for their continued support.’