Nick Nairn to open restaurant at Dunblane Doubletree by Hilton
Scottish chef Nick Nairn is to open a restaurant at Doubletree by Hilton hotel, Dunblane Hydro at the end of the month following the hotel's £12m refurbishment.
The Kailyard will open on 28 January at the 200-bedroom Trossachs hotel and marks Nairn's return to the restaurant scene. Since he sold his restaurant with rooms Nairn's in Glasgow in 2003, the chef has focused on his cook school at Stirling and his TV appearances.
He said: "Being a local lad I have grown up visiting the hotel for various events over the years and am delighted that this iconic hotel has been refurbished to reflect its true glory.
"I’ve been approached by several companies in the past to open restaurants but none grabbed my interest in the way Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro did."
Nairn will not be manning the restaurant's stove, but will work on a consultancy basis for the hotel, overseeing all dining there, including room service menus, weddings and conference and banqueting.
His menus will focus on using the best Scottish produce 'wherever possible' and will include his own recipe smoked salmon and fish pie.
Doubletree by Hilton said the partnership was part of the brand's plans to bring high quality food to its hotels. Marco Pierre White was signed up last year to open a Steakhouse Bar & Grill at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Chester.
Dunblane Hydro's general manager Dean Rigby said Nairn's passion, experience and vision made him the 'perfect partner' for the hotel.
The hotel undertook a nine month refurbishment before it was re-opened as a Doubletree by Hilton last September.
