The Glenturret Distillery's restaurant has earned a second Michelin star in the 2024 Michelin Guide.
The Glenturret Lalique restaurant opened in 2021 following the Crieff distillery's purchase by French crystal maker Lalique in 2019. It was awarded its first Michelin star within a year of opening – becoming the first distillery in the world to achieve the prestigious culinary honour – and this year's Michelin Guide, released on 5 February, has rewarded its continued culinary efforts with a second star.
The restaurant team is led by Mark Donald, former chef at the Michelin-recommended Number One restaurant at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh.
In their notes, the Michelin Guide judges said the intimate restaurant “mixes the luxury with the familiar, in both its décor and its dishes”. The guide noted its championing of local ingredients and dishes, from Highland Wagyu beef to tattie scones, and the flights of Glenturret whiskies featured on the drinks menu alongside its “top-class” wine list.
The Glenturret's managing director John Laurie said: “The Glenturret are incredibly proud of the recognition our hospitality team received at the Michelin Guide announcements. Two stars is a difficult recognition to achieve and for Mark Donald and his team to get there in just two and a half years is incredible. This is not just a momentous occasion for Glenturret or the whisky industry but for Scotland in general.
“Scottish gastronomy has always had a rare quality, an amazing natural larder and talented chefs that has all too often gone unnoticed. Global recognition for Scottish cuisine is starting to change and Mark Donald is a strong figure in that movement – Glenturret are fully behind him and the hospitality industry.”
This is the first time that two restaurants in Scotland have simultaneously held two Michelin stars – the other being Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at the Gleneagles Hotel, also in Perthshire. Laurie said this could serve as a great incentive for residents and tourists to travel a little further than Glasgow or Edinburgh for excellent Scottish food and drink experiences.
He continued: “From the moment we opened the doors of our fine-dining restaurant, I called for other distillers to integrate a food offering into their hospitality. I firmly believe that Scotland could benefit from a Napa Valley-style trail where tourists could explore our national drink, whilst enjoying hospitality and cuisine that celebrates our unique country.”
A second Michelin star brings The Glenturret Lalique level with other UK venues such as Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Oxfordshire, Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham, and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.
