CairnGorm Mountain

Cairngorm is a different venture in many ways, we don't have accommodation on site, and we have two food outlets, the Storehouse concept being in the day lodge building and then the Ptarmigan restaurant at the top of the mountain. The top restaurant is always the busiest in winter with the ski/snow board fraternity as once up the mountain they like to spend as much time up there as they can but the Storehouse is also very busy especially when the ski/snowboarding runs are complete and you can get a run from top to bottom. . The summer clients are different also as we have more hill walkers, bird watchers & coach parties so both kitchens are kept busy. Which celebrity chefs do you admire? This is a difficult one, I was classically trained and admire many chefs. James Martin of Saturday kitchen fame is always good to watch, the late great Keith Floyd was a favourite with his Bohemian style, Rick Stein whom I met whilst working in Padstow is self-taught and like myself has a great passion for seafood. Michele Roux Jnr and Monica Galetti (his senior sous chef at Le Gavroche) are also favourites of mine. Where do you find inspiration for your dishes? Inspiration for my dishes comes from the beautiful landscapes and changing seasons we have here in Scotland. From John O'Groats with fantastic views over the Pentland Firth, dramatic cliffs and rich in wildlife, to CairnGorm Mountain with snow-capped peaks, lochs and rivers, flora and fauna, all in ever changing skies. Scotland's Natural Retreats inspire everyone from song writers and poets to authors, photographers and artists. What can visitors to Cairngorm Mountain expect on the menu? Our menu at The Storehouse on Cairngorm offers dishes created from locally sourced produce, prepared and cooked by myself and my team of young enthusiastic chefs, plus our baker who produces the best home baking around. What has been the biggest transformation in The Storehouse? The biggest transformation of the Storehouse at Cairngorm - well everything really! We relocated from the Casbar to upstairs where the old T-bar used to be, we have refurbished temporarily until the new-build, created new counter space with Starbucks coffee available and I designed a new kitchen layout using the old staff room and an earlier kitchen floor space. Our food offerings have also been transformed into healthy home-made dishes for adults and children alike. All with the free spectacular views over Loch Morlich and the surrounding mountains and Corries. Explore The Storehouse for further details on our delicious selection of culinary treats and homemade dishes.