Champany Inn wins Michelin star after a 25-year wait
CALUM MACDONALD and JULIA HORTON
After a quarter of a century of sweating in the kitchen, it was about time someone gave Clive Davidson a little recognition. It finally arrived yesterday, and in style.
The restaurant Mr Davidson and his wife Anne have owned and ran for the past 25 years was awarded a prized Michelin star by the inspectors of the world's most famous guide to eating out.
The Champany Inn in Linlithgow, which the Davidsons opened in 1983, was one of two restaurants to join the small list of elite Scottish eateries which boast a Michelin star.
The other was awarded, or more correctly reinstated, to the Ballachulish House Hotel by Loch Leven in the Highlands, which lost its single star last year. The two awards announced yesterday raise the number of restaurants in Scotland with a single Michelin star from eight to 10. None of the Scottish starred restaurants lost its rating this year.
There was no change further up the rankings, with Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles remaining the sole two-starred establishment in Scotland. No Scottish restaurant has three Michelin stars.
Mr Davidson had all but given up hope of ever winning a star for the Champany Inn, which made yesterday's announcement all the more pleasing. "I'm absolutely shocked and dumbfounded," he said.
"After 25 years of being here I thought these things had passed us by, by now. It's fantastic news and shows what fantastic staff we have. I should imagine a drop or two will pass our lips later today."
Neither of the owners of the Ballachulish House Hotel - Drs MacLaughlin-Taylor or Goodenow - were available to comment on being reinstated to the list of elite restaurants, but the news was no doubt welcome.
As ever with the publication of the Michelin Guide, there was a degree of disappointment among the good news.
Martin Wishart, whose eponymous restaurant in Edinburgh already has a single Michelin star, was tipped to gain a second this year. Mr Wishart, a columnist for The Herald Magazine, was unavailable as he is in Singapore taking part in an event to celebrate Scottish cuisine.
Another disappointment was the failure yet again of any Glasgow restaurants to make the list.
Brian Maule of Chardon d'Or in the city said: "I don't know what they're looking for any more." Nevertheless, he maintains an indifference towards the value of stars. He added: "I cook for my customers, and if they keep coming back because of the quality food that is served on their plate, then I can't ask for much more than that."
Also announced yesterday were the Michelin Bib Gourmand awards, which recognise restaurants which serve good food at moderate prices.
Three Scottish restaurants were awarded Bib Gourmands for the first time, while one was stripped of their title.
The Wee Restaurant in North Queensferry, Fife, Duck's at Le Marche Noir in Edinburgh, and The Restaurant in Killin, Stirlingshire, all received the title while 63 Tay Street in Perth lost its Bib.
Gordon Ramsay's Chelsea restaurant, Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck and Michel Roux's Waterside Inn, both in Bray-on-Thames in Berkshire, remain the only restaurants in the UK with three stars. The Michelin guide to Great Britain & Ireland 2008 goes on sale tomorrow.
Fine dining
Two stars:
Andrew Fairlie at
Gleneagles, Auchterarder
One star:
Ballachulish House, Ballachulish *
Braidwoods, Dalry
Champany Inn, Linlithgow *
Glenapp Castle, Ballantrae
Inverlochy Castle, Fort William
The Kitchen, Edinburgh
Knockinaam Lodge, Portpatrick
Martin Wishart, Edinburgh
Number One, Edinburgh
Summer Isles, Achiltibuie
Bib Gourmand:
Atrium, Edinburgh
The Bank, Crieff
Creagan House, Strathyre
Duck's at Le Marche Noir, Edinburgh *
The Kilberry Inn, Kintyre/Kilberry
The Restaurant, Killin/Ardeonaig *
The Sorn Inn, Sorn
The Wee Restaurant, North Queensferry *
* New addition for 2008
63 Tay Street, Perth, lost its Bib Gourmand in this year's list.
© All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without
permission is prohibited.
Posted by: dd, edinburgh on 1:03am Thu 24 Jan 08
champanays - a star? what for? 3 of us and a child recently visited on a monday evening witha bottle of average wine and the the bill was £375.00 amd yet, when the waitperson came with the food to the table, we still had to be asked whom was having what. Beyond average food and even more shocking service.
Why is anyone else busting a gut in the hospitality industry when this is what floats micheins boat?
champanays - a star? what for? 3 of us and a child recently visited on a monday evening witha bottle of average wine and the the bill was £375.00 amd yet, when the waitperson came with the food to the table, we still had to be asked whom was having what. Beyond average food and even more shocking service.
Why is anyone else busting a gut in the hospitality industry when this is what floats micheins boat?
Posted by: Mercutio, Falkirk on 2:02am Thu 24 Jan 08
dd; Did the dineperson ask the waitperson to see the managperson.
dd; Did the dineperson ask the waitperson to see the managperson.
Posted by: jonny bond, glasgow on 2:21am Thu 24 Jan 08
If I didn't need a mortgage to afford it Id eat there three times a week and have chops at the chop and ale house. Quite simply the cream of cultured eating in scotland. You dont have to go all the way to japan for a good steak in this country kobe beef eat yer heart out.
If I didn't need a mortgage to afford it Id eat there three times a week and have chops at the chop and ale house. Quite simply the cream of cultured eating in scotland. You dont have to go all the way to japan for a good steak in this country kobe beef eat yer heart out.
Posted by: Archie, Stirrin the Purritch on 2:51am Thu 24 Jan 08
Does the person who goes round checking out these restaurants end up with a prize Michelin Tyre or 3 (at least)????
Does the person who goes round checking out these restaurants end up with a prize Michelin Tyre or 3 (at least)????
Posted by: Considerably richer, than you on 6:45am Thu 24 Jan 08
What sort of numpty brings a wean to a restaurant that charges £375 for four and calls waiters and waitresses "waitpersons?" A shockingly show-offy person, that's whom.
What sort of numpty brings a wean to a restaurant that charges £375 for four and calls waiters and waitresses "waitpersons?" A shockingly show-offy person, that's whom.
Posted by: Al, Cologne on 7:42am Thu 24 Jan 08
I have to agree with dd. Can't believe the Champany got a star. Over-priced average food.
I have to agree with dd. Can't believe the Champany got a star. Over-priced average food.
Posted by: Bob, Linlithgow on 9:08am Thu 24 Jan 08
I couldn't afford Champanys, but have eaten at the chop and ale house (still not that cheap) and found it very disappointing. Who knows what that dreadful coating they insist on putting on their steaks is, but it just makes them taste burnt!
In my opinion both Livingston's & Marynka in Linlithgow provide far better food, better service and for less money.
Seems that to get a star you just need to be over-priced!
I couldn't afford Champanys, but have eaten at the chop and ale house (still not that cheap) and found it very disappointing. Who knows what that dreadful coating they insist on putting on their steaks is, but it just makes them taste burnt!
In my opinion both Livingston's & Marynka in Linlithgow provide far better food, better service and for less money.
Seems that to get a star you just need to be over-priced!
Posted by: Rab Haw, Glasgow on 9:12am Thu 24 Jan 08
Having worked in hospitality for many years, reading the word "waitperson" is a first. PC madness if you ask me. However what we should recognise is Scotland's success; rather than browbeat for whatever reason. The one thing I would ask dd is: what drinks did you have apart from the wine?
Well done to Scotland
Having worked in hospitality for many years, reading the word "waitperson" is a first. PC madness if you ask me. However what we should recognise is Scotland's success; rather than browbeat for whatever reason. The one thing I would ask dd is: what drinks did you have apart from the wine?
Well done to Scotland
Posted by: Rab Jones, Pollok # on 9:43am Thu 24 Jan 08
Terrible restaurant, i wentthere last year.
I ordered steak and the waiter brought it over with his thumb over the meat.
"Are you crazy?" I yelled. "Get your hand off my steak?"
"What" answers the waiter, "You want it to fall on the floor again?"
Disgraceful.
I think they should move this restaurant to the moon.
Average food, no atmosphere.
Terrible restaurant, i wentthere last year.
I ordered steak and the waiter brought it over with his thumb over the meat.
"Are you crazy?" I yelled. "Get your hand off my steak?"
"What" answers the waiter, "You want it to fall on the floor again?"
Disgraceful.
I think they should move this restaurant to the moon.
Average food, no atmosphere.
Posted by: martin, edinburgh on 9:51am Thu 24 Jan 08
You're not just paying for the food at this type of place though are you? You're paying for the slightly uncomfortable sensation of staring at a menu that resembles a cross between a roadkill autopsy report and a rip-off garage price list. Help, what's posh for burger and chips, have they not heard of chickens or pigs? Plus the air of slight condecension from staff who earn about a half of what you do. Like the time my friend ordered duck at some 'bistro', was asked how she'd like her duck 'done', replied, "errr...well done?", and was then told duck could only really be cooked medium or medium-rare at a shove. My favourite is the wine list. I don't like wine. I like beer. Screw the norman overlords and the 1000-year cringe that their culture is somehow better, did they get this far north anyways? No. I want beer. Where's the beer list with exclusive brews for the discerning palate from across the globe? There isn't one? Jesus. Upon that note, me and Michael Winner left.
You're not just paying for the food at this type of place though are you? You're paying for the slightly uncomfortable sensation of staring at a menu that resembles a cross between a roadkill autopsy report and a rip-off garage price list. Help, what's posh for burger and chips, have they not heard of chickens or pigs? Plus the air of slight condecension from staff who earn about a half of what you do. Like the time my friend ordered duck at some 'bistro', was asked how she'd like her duck 'done', replied, "errr...well done?", and was then told duck could only really be cooked medium or medium-rare at a shove. My favourite is the wine list. I don't like wine. I like beer. Screw the norman overlords and the 1000-year cringe that their culture is somehow better, did they get this far north anyways? No. I want beer. Where's the beer list with exclusive brews for the discerning palate from across the globe? There isn't one? Jesus. Upon that note, me and Michael Winner left.
Posted by: Dilbert, Stirling on 10:21am Thu 24 Jan 08
[bold]Why does the opportunity to comment on these pages elicit so much hysteria? Jeez - calm down!
Look... The Champany is simply a wonderful restaurant. It also offers great food at reasonable prices in the Chop House.
This is excellent recognition for Scotland's restaurant industry. Well done Champany![/bold]
Why does the opportunity to comment on these pages elicit so much hysteria? Jeez - calm down!
Look... The Champany is simply a wonderful restaurant. It also offers great food at reasonable prices in the Chop House.
This is excellent recognition for Scotland's restaurant industry. Well done Champany! Posted by: Sawney Bean on 12:50pm Thu 24 Jan 08
Had meal at the Champanay a couple of years ago; food was good and the service was fine at that time.
However, was down at the Waterside in Bray last year and I'm afraid it made Champanay look like a pricey McDonalds. The quality of food and service was simply astounding. But you do need a second mortgage to eat there. Cheapest bottle of wine, as far as I can recall, was over £100 and that went on up to over £5000 (yes, thousand). The Fat Duck round the corner was running a lunch menu at over £100 a head with a glass of wine costing something like 60 quid.
Had meal at the Champanay a couple of years ago; food was good and the service was fine at that time.
However, was down at the Waterside in Bray last year and I'm afraid it made Champanay look like a pricey McDonalds. The quality of food and service was simply astounding. But you do need a second mortgage to eat there. Cheapest bottle of wine, as far as I can recall, was over £100 and that went on up to over £5000 (yes, thousand). The Fat Duck round the corner was running a lunch menu at over £100 a head with a glass of wine costing something like 60 quid.
Posted by: MB, Glasgow on 1:43pm Thu 24 Jan 08
Have to agree with Dilbert, amazing how excited some folk get!
Of course you're never going to have a restaurant which achieves 100 per cent immaculate service ALL the time, but I can't say I've ever found the service at Champany/Chop and Ale particularly snobby or pretentious, afterall you're buying burger and chips, half a chicken or steak and chips, with beer, wine or whatever else you fancy.
If you don't want to spend too much money on food don't go to expensive restaurants, I'd have thought that was fairly obvious. Personally, I'd say it's the best place in Linlithgow, the 'coating' on the steaks is delicious and they do excellent chips into the bargain.
But then it's always nice to have a moan at Scots doing well for themselves. Down with that sort of thing!
Have to agree with Dilbert, amazing how excited some folk get!
Of course you're never going to have a restaurant which achieves 100 per cent immaculate service ALL the time, but I can't say I've ever found the service at Champany/Chop and Ale particularly snobby or pretentious, afterall you're buying burger and chips, half a chicken or steak and chips, with beer, wine or whatever else you fancy.
If you don't want to spend too much money on food don't go to expensive restaurants, I'd have thought that was fairly obvious. Personally, I'd say it's the best place in Linlithgow, the 'coating' on the steaks is delicious and they do excellent chips into the bargain.
But then it's always nice to have a moan at Scots doing well for themselves. Down with that sort of thing!
News
INDEX
Comment | Read Comments (13)
