Taking a look inside The Kitchin

Leith: the land of Michelin stars

Tom Kitchin set up home in a whisky bonded warehouse beside Leith’s old dockland back in 2006. Within six months it had gained the coveted Michelin star accolade, making him the youngest Scottish chef-proprietor to hold one (Kitchin was just 29 at the time). Since then, Leith has turned out to be quite the neighbourhood for fine dining, with this coastal city district boasting most of the capital’s Michelin stars. And in 2015, The Kitchin became Scotland’s only restaurant to hold five AA Rosettes.

Last year saw a flurry of further acknowledgements within the industry. The Kitchin was named the Best Restaurant Outside of London, Food & Travel Awards 2021, Scotland’s Best restaurant 2021 at the World Culinary Awards 2021, Best Fine Dining Restaurant No 2 in the UK at the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2021 and Best Fine Dining Restaurant No 10 in Europe at the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2021.

Tom and Michaela Kitchin

Tom is himself a local lad; he was born in Edinburgh, went to school in Dollar, Clackmannanshire and attended college in Perth. His apprenticeship also took place in Scotland, at the famous Gleneagles hotel, after which Kitchin spent time in London, Paris and Monaco, working under Pierre Koffmann, Guy Savoy and Alain Ducasse. More recently he’s become a recognisable face from the small screen; a chef with celebrity status.

The restaurant, on Commercial Quay, is very much a family affair. Tom’s wife, Michaela, is the co-founder and executive director of Kitchin Group. Her prior experience included time with the Savoy Group and the seven-star Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai. Michaela has been heavily involved in the design of this venue and the group’s local sister premises, The Scran and Scallie, The Bonnie Badger and Scran Southside. The couple live, as well as work, in the city, along with their four children and are ambassadors of the culinary landscape — Tom was acknowledged with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts degree from Edinburgh Napier University in 2012, for his considerable contribution to Scottish food culture.

From Nature to Plate

Operating with the motto ‘From Nature to Plate’, The Kitchin team often forage for ingredients and Tom can be found perusing the Stockbridge Farmers’ Market, chatting to its stallholders. Select suppliers are used, including Free Company Farm’s fresh fruit and veg, fresh oysters and langoustines are delivered straight from the fishing boats at Newhaven Harbour, while meat and fish arrive onsite whole, with all butchering and filleting happening in-house, ensuring every part of the animal is used and there’s absolutely no waste. Diners can get a peek of the kitchen’s activity during service, via a specially designed window.

Examples of dishes you may find on Kitchin’s menus include an amuse-bouche of chilled beetroot velouté; Hopetoun Estate roe deer with liver parfait, apple and hazelnut; Torbay prawns dressed in Chateau Leoube olive oil served with apple celeriac and lemon confit, plus tempura of whole Torbay prawn dusted in a shrimp powder; Newton Grange beetroot salad with Etherington goat cheese mousse, walnut and wild blueberry dressing; Ayrshire pork cheek with Thistly Cross original cider blanquette, winter vegetables and pork bone jus; and Dark Matter Scottish Rum Baba, rum-soaked raisin and Granny Smith apples with whipped clotted cream.

Drinkies

Take a seat in the venue’s Whisky Snug and sip on rare spirits like the Arran Rare Batch 15yr, one of only 2580 bottles; its French Oak Bordeaux finish offers orange marmalade flavours with mild spices and a hint of tobacco smoke. Plus, there are a further 199 whiskies to be sampled — the majority coming from Scotland.

Or choose something like the Apple Cocktail, which makes use of Discarded Chardonnay Vodka (in line with The Kitchin’s zero-waste philosophy), made using the grapes recovered from winemaking, along with Fernando de Castilla Fino Sherry, apple-lemon and egg white.

Diners can book for a Surprise Tasting Menu, Vegetarian Surprise Tasting Menu, Prestige Surprise Tasting Menu, two or three-course a la carte meals, or one of the lunchtime set menus, with optional cheese courses and wine pairings from the temperature-controlled wine cellar. The restaurant can also be hired for exclusive use, offering private dining for up to 80 guests.