The Torridon Resort appoints new head chef
Born and raised in Inverness, Henderson returns to The Torridon having previously worked in the kitchen as junior sous chef
The Torridon has appointed Alex Henderson to role of resort head chef
Born and raised in Inverness, Henderson returns to The Torridon having previously worked in the kitchen as junior sous chef.
He joins from one of Newcastle’s “most celebrated” restaurants, the Michelin-starred House of Tides, where he was sous chef under acclaimed chef patron Kenny Atkinson.
Henderson will lead the resort’s fine-dining 1887 restaurant and oversee the Bo and Muc brasserie.
The Torridon Resort features its own Torridon Kitchen Garden and Farm which provides fresh ingredients on site and helps curate the menu as the seasons change.
The new menu will mix modern British and Scottish cooking with Henderson’s inspiration “from around the world”.
The menu will include a dish of sweet and sour duck, with a miso-glazed heather honey sauce.
Alongside traditional ingredients, it said he will also bring “authenticity” to his cooking by using unusual elements, only available at The Torridon. These include salt water sourced from Loch Torridon, seaweed from the shores around him and vinegar and oil infused with pine needles from the estate.
A new cake selection is also being created for The Torridon’s Afternoon Tea and will include a coffee-caramel choux, whisky fudge, and lemon elderflower swiss roll – all sourced from the farm.
Henderson said: “There are 20-30 types of seaweed and herbs growing in the loch. The estate is full of edible flowers, gorse and mushrooms and I would like to use local honey which is infused with local heather pollen growing wild around us. It’s all about creating clean, crisp food that tastes as good as it looks.”
Dan Rose-Bristow, owner of The Torridon Resort, added: “We are delighted to welcome Alex back to the team. As a passionate local, we love seeing his enthusiasm for the estate, the nature and what it offers. At The Torridon we are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to unique ingredients, and with Alex’s vision and creativity, the food alone will be worth the trip.”