The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

Deli Jada Brookes looks at the incredible history of The Torridon Hotel and Alex Henderson’s return in his new role as resort head chef. biterestaurant Alex Henderson two years later and won 'Scottish Hotel of the Year' at the Scottish Hotel Awards. The hotel also received ‘Scottish Activity Hotel of the Year’ at the Scottish Hotel Awards and ‘Highly Commended Icon of Whisky’ at the Whisky Magazine Awards and joined the Pride of Britain Hotels Consortium in 2006. They achieved the ‘Highland Dining Out Experience’ at the Highland Tour- ism Awards, AA ‘Scottish Pub of the Year’ thanks to The Stables bar, four AA Red Star and Inspectors Choice, ‘Hotel of the Year’ at the Scottish Licensed Trade News Awards. More awards were accomplished up to 2021 at the last count. Earlier this year, Alex Henderson was appointed The Torri- don’s new head chef, heading the resort’s fine-dining 1887 restaurant and overseeing the Bo & Muc brasserie. The ap- pointee revealed his passion for cooking started at a young age while gardening and cooking with his grandmother. He takes inspiration from other chefs: “Most recently, I ate at Moor Hall, a two-Michelin star restaurant in Aughton, Lan- cashire, and I was impressed by Chef Patron Mark Bir- chall’s operation. It’s a fantastic restaurant.” Alex first worked at the Waterside Hotel in Inverness as a commis chef. “I then built my experience in various res- taurants, including The Torridon, as junior sous chef before joining one of Newcastle’s most celebrated restaurants, the Michelin-starred House of Tides.” Under acclaimed chef patron Kenny Atkinson, he worked as a sous chef, de- scribing the experience as an eye-opener and one of his best. “He is one of the kindest and most caring chefs I have worked for. He gave me management skills and a platform to express myself.” THE TORRIDON Head Chef Profile