Sitting down to type this blog post, we're amongst the most challenging conditions ever experienced across the span of Scotland Hospitality. Times are so incredibly hard for everyone, but it's with a great measure of joy that I'm typing today!
Balbirnie House Head Chef Sharon Munro, image via Lifetime Photography.
There have obviously been profound implications across the span of Hospitality since March 2020's Lockdown. Having traded through a phenomenally exciting 2020 summer season with Bistro al Fresco, we found Balbirnie House heading into circumstances without either an Executive Chef, or 'the one traditional hierarchy step' underneath that leading Executive position, of Head Chef.
Heading into autumn 2020 'Food in the Woods', in our Millennium Ballroom, and with only one of our three kitchens in operation, we decided to only advertise the role of Head Chef. Over the span of my 3 decades at Balbirnie House, whenever such a senior kitchen role has been advertised, there has always been very significant interest, usually with 60 - 80 applications each time, literally from across the world.
Some context, from within senior roles leading our kitchens in unrestricted trading times, over 3 decades we have delivered multiple examples of truly great and progressive career success. Three individuals in particular, have had timelines each, of circa 6 years of truly wonderful consistency. The late Alan Gibb went on to become Executive Chef at Gleneagles, Ian MacDonald became manager of Scotland's Olympic Culinary Team, and Mark Lindsay joined us from the role, of Executive Chef at Gleneagles. More recently, Callum Dow landed the role of Executive Chef at Turnberry, after only two years at Balbirnie House.
It has been such an honour to have worked with all chefs very closely indeed over all the years, in these senior kitchen roles, and as you can imagine, I've learnt so much myself from each chef over all the years. Everyone has a different approach to how they manage circumstances.
It's an interesting fact, but I have never ever been approached by any industry colleague, requesting a written reference for anyone who has held a senior role consistently in our kitchens. I think that's because it's taken as a given, that anyone who can sustain in such a role, and cope with the pressures of what we do, doesn't even need a reference! There can be no other explanation.
But you know what, there has always been something, that's bothered me each time we have recruited for a senior role. It's the elephant in the Hospitality room, where are all the female applicants? I have repeatedly highlighted this, for example:
And stating the obvious, it's not the fact that there are virtually no female applications, it's the fact that it has never ever been possible to conceive the role of Head Chef, or Executive Chef, based upon what we have received in the way of applications, based upon career experience, track record, knowledge of Scotland's natural larder, proven ability, and financial acumen.
Statistically, and it pains me to even type this, but over all the years we have only ever received 3 solitary female applications for Executive Chef, and they were all originated from overseas. Today, I confirm we have only ever had one single female application for Head Chef, and you know what, based purely on all working requirements of this unique and challenging role, we are proud beyond belief to be able to confirm that the applicant got the job! Not only that, the successful applicant has a truly inspiring story to tell.
Up until the age of 30 Sharon Munro worked in multiple jobs, basically 'any job', as a working mother. In 2002 at the age of 30 then embarked upon a 2 year course (whilst still working) - HNC in Professional Cookery, from Lauder College (now Carnegie Campus), Dunfermline. Having graduated two years later, Sharon then asked the late Alan Gibb for a job working at Balbirnie House, actually offering to begin work as a Kitchen Porter, working for no pay, simply to gain experience in Balbirnie House. We've never ever had any such roles without pay, so Alan Gibb offered Sharon a paid job!
Here we were, slicing smoked salmon back in the 2004 Balbirnie day!
Departing in 2008, Sharon then briefly became Head Chef of The Flaming Kilt (Gastro Taverns), then similarly, Head Chef of The Beveridge Park Hotel, Kirkcaldy.
In 2009 then taking up the role of Sous Chef at St Andrews Links Trust, then 2010 Head Chef overseeing all three kitchen of St Andrews Links Trust. This role sustained for eight years until 2018, all of this time under the direct mentorship and quite incredible industry expertise, of Ian MacDonald, our former Balbirnie House Executive Chef.
In 2018 Sharon then stepped up further at St Andrews Links Trust into the role as Head of Catering, in effect what we would term 'Executive Chef'. In context, Sharon was looking after three kitchens, with over 20 chefs and delivering for up to more than 1,000 guests per day.
When we advertised Head Chef in autumn 2020, Sharon was the very first to apply. There were 70 applications in total, once again from all over the world.
But there were no other interviews!
Our decisions to proceed in offering the role? Whenever making a decision of this magnitude, I always feel almost as if I'm having a discussion with those who have previously led our kitchens. And together in unison they were all telling me, 'Do not even hesitate, Sharon's career path is self-evident, and is absolutely, unquantifiably, totally qualified to lead the kitchens into the future!!!'
The late Alan Gibb, who is still with me in this treasured photograph on my office desk today, was saying in my mind, 'This applicant is now one of the most experienced leading chefs and kitchen managers in all of Scotland, everything I saw with possibilities at Balbirnie back in 2004, has come to fruition and all the rest. A culinary iron fist in a tour de force soft velvet glove!'. So that was that then! Decisions made!
Most importantly of all in 2021, leading our kitchens is about looking after those who are the youngest in the kitchen brigade, and even more pertinently stated, those who are brand new to hospitality. Leading our kitchens is therefore absolutely focussed on harmony, a joyful working environment, great happiness, and teamwork is always dreamwork. And I can assure you that our new Head Chef has all of these in abundance! The strength of any kitchen brigade can be measured by how the least experienced chef is looked after and mentored, and today we are bigger on this than ever before, because we are creating the chefs of the future.
In twenty or thirty years time, Chefs will certainly be looking back at today, and considering how they were mentored today, at Balbirnie House.
And talking of mentoring. To define an example of this, in the years 2004 - 2008 whilst in charge of Balbirnie Bistro, Sharon herself mentored (my very lovely sister-in-law) Laurie Macmillan, who has gone on to achieve quite incredible success, leaving me literally lost for words, as Scotland's 'Queen of Brunch', in Glasgow's truly amazing Cafe Strange Brew.
This explains why the film sequencing of individuals who have contributed so much to what we have delivered at Balbirnie House over the decades, is sequenced:
Sharon started at the beginning of November 2020, delivered 'Food in the Woods', and the festive season, and then headed up our kitchens as we rolled into offering 'Feast in the Forrest' Takeaway for the very first time. Our customers are absolutely amazed at the consistency we're delivering. But that's not by accident, it's because the Head Chef designed it to happen! And perhaps, this is something which we can look to continue with into the future as well.
Fife Hotel boss left speechless ...
Moving ahead, as and when we revert back to unrestricted trading, this will undoubtedly mean that we will once again need to recruit for the role of Executive Chef. I confirm that Sharon has already denoted a willingness to apply for that role, therefore the only female in history, to apply for that role from within Scotland. And if that was to proceed, it would of course involve overseeing our four kitchens, and a brigade of 30 chefs and assistants.
Sharon is an absolute inspiration to all aspiring chefs, boys and girls alike. And we are so very proud at Balbirnie House, to be proving that there's massive girl power in Scotland's 2021 kitchens! We cannot wait to see the day that we can get all of our kitchens back in full operation.
All best wishes,
Nicholas / MD Balbirnie House
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