Food that speaks of place.

LONG READ

Wandering through the sprawling walled garden at Aldourie Castle - a rich symphony of fresh smells and subdued colours - it is hard to imagine a more contented chef than Richard Turner. As the man overseeing an ever expanding collection of kitchens, Turner sees Wildland’s holdings as both a chef’s paradise and a serious conservation mission. 

“As a chef, your number one responsibility is to make delicious food that people will enjoy - it really is that simple,” Turner explains, over a coffee at Aldourie’s garden cottage. 

“But underlying that,” he emphasises, “you must have a sense of purpose that drives your cooking and reflects where you are in the world. If you don’t have a mission that underpins your work or an ethos that fits within a wider vision of the world, then how will you push yourself to create, innovate, and improve?”

For the Michelin-trained chef, conservation and good cooking go hand in hand. 

Across the Wildland portfolio - from the private dining rooms of Glenfeshie and Kinloch to the communal kitchen tables at Lundies House and Killiehuntly - local produce takes centre stage. These kitchens are replete with the comforting aromas of courgettes from the green houses, lamb from the farm, and venison from the hills. 

Working closely with estates and other local producers, Turner and his team of chefs have created a tight-knit supply chain that mirrors Wildland’s commitment to gentle conservation. 

“Having such a close relationship with the men and women who grow and rear our ingredients is rare luxury, and we hope it shows in our cooking,” says Turner. 

“But beyond that, this connection to the land means that our chefs can contribute to Wildland’s wider conservation mission. 

“The venison we serve, for example, plays a fundamental role in our rewilding plans. By controlling the deer population on our estates, we can encourage an environment where forests can naturally regenerate without heavy herbivore impact. 

“Venison also happens to taste fantastic, so the more we serve the greater our contribution.

“Finally, I also fundamentally believe that the fresher the ingredient, the better it will taste. We could fly-in some plump tomatoes from Europe or further afield, but isn’t it much more satisfying to enjoy the taste of something that was only picked hours before its served?”

What shines through as Turner wanders through the Aldourie garden is just how important the quality of ingredients are to his style of cooking. His enthusiasm for simple food that is cooked with care is echoed by Tom Park, who cooks for guests at Killiehuntly Farmhouse. 

“Eating a meal with friends should be all about sharing an experience,” he explains, as he leans gingerly against the warm AGA in the Killiehuntly kitchen. 

“I love working with Wildland produce because it fosters a simple, humble style of ‘family cooking’. The local ingredients we use are so fresh that the most respectful thing I can do as a chef is cook and serve them simply, and with a lot of care. 

“The end product is a style of cooking that encourages conversation and sharing. From my kitchen at Killiehuntly, I can see guests (who may have arrived as perfect strangers) passing around a plate of potatoes or a basket of sourdough. 

“When the conversation is flowing and people are sharing together, that’s when I know I’ve done my job. It’s hugely rewarding.”

For Richard Turner, this is what sets properties like Killiehuntly apart. 

“I love cooking at Killiehuntly,” he says, “because it genuinely has the feeling of a cosy family home. Tom and his colleagues do a wonderful job of making people feel welcome, and often times we’ll be chatting away with guests over a coffee in the kitchen while we work. 

“It is a pleasingly informal place, but designed with a lot of attention to detail, and I think that is reflected in the family style cooking we do at Killiehuntly.”

WILD COOKING

Over 100 miles to the north of Killiehuntly, overlooking the forbidding depths of the Pentland Firth and the undulating mountains of Sutherland, the Wildland concept of ‘conservation cooking’ finds its home at Lundies House. Here, an altogether wilder way of working with local produce is underway as head-chef James Wilson ventures into nature to forage for his larder. 

Wilson moved to Tongue from Stockholm where he worked at Oaxen, a two Michelin starred restaurant in Stockholm’s archipelago. His taste for bright, clean and delicate flavours travelled with him, as did his long-time collaborator and sous chef, Jack Newport. 

Together, these two cooks are creating highly seasonal menus that bridge a dialogue between Scandinavia and Scotland. 

“I couldn’t have hoped for a better place to explore,” says Wilson. 

“We treat every day in this kitchen as one big adventure. Jack and I are constantly inspired by what we find here. We might be on the edge of the world in Sutherland - and we like it that way - but I think the sheer abundance of wild produce here has been grossly underestimated.”

Foraging is nothing new (indeed, it seems to have reached an almost oversaturated fame in the wake of restaurants like Noma in Copenhagen), but for Wilson and Newport it offers up a way to bring tantalising flavours to the table without incurring the air miles of exotic ingredients. 

Take meadowsweet as an example - a creamy white flower normally found on roadsides. For many, this unassuming plant may go unnoticed. But for Jack Newport, it represents his favourite local discovery so far. 

“It’s something you look at; everyone round here will see it every day and won’t know what it is,” he explains. 

“We use it to infuse a nuanced honey-sweetness into ice cream. Playing with what nature gives you from season to season is the ultimate creative challenge, and we love it.”

FIRE ON

While the food at Lundies takes a more delicate, perhaps ‘new-Nordic’ tack than Killiehuntly, the spirit of sharing good, simple food lives on. 

Stroll into the Lundies courtyard on any given evening, and you are sure to find Wilson and Newport cooking by the fire. The menu here is deliberately simple, bringing the magic of the local produce into sharp focus. Here you’ll find fish from the wild seas, grilled whole with simple seasoning; you’ll hear the crackle of Highland beef as it caramelizes on the steel ring that envelopes the open fire; and you’re sure to smell the roasting vegetables, plucked just moments ago from the kitchen garden. 

Sitting around a large burnt oak and supping on some biodynamic wines while relaxed music tinkles in the background, it is impossible not to sink into a deep sense of ease. 

“This is my one, big wish,” says Anne Holch Povlsen, who founded Wildland with her husband, Anders. 

“I want people to visit our properties and feel the same sense of peace that Anders and I experience whenever we visit Scotland. I can’t think of anything more welcoming, or more easy-going, than a hearty meal shared with the people you love.” 

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