BALBIRNIE HOUSE TAKEAWAY IS NOW HERE TO STAY!

When we started our Balbirnie Takeaway 27.12.2020 we had absolutely no idea how it was going to go. Even within our brigade, there were those with misgivings before we started, with some saying 'That's not possible!' 

But as we know: 

Little did we know, but we were about to see the very rapid creation of Balbirnie Takeaway, quickly rolling with scope for the creation of a £1million future set of annual revenue streams. 

So this is what we figured before we began. Create an ordering system which delivers unprecedented convenience, in that it combines an App order, with the huge relevance of a pre-set Collection time. Deliver a significantly better product than you'll find in a national Takeaway chain. And price it only marginally more than you'll find in a national Takeaway chain. These in any event, were our three start points. 

Fife has many great chippies, and each of these is of course (and quite rightly so) protective of their batter recipes. This was our very first Takeaway photo. 

It's a long story maybe for another day, but we successfully managed to totally nail the batter, to a standard equating to the best-of-the-best chippies in the land. Then we added 'the Balbirnie detail', complimentary pea puree, chippie curry sauce, served with sachets of salt and vinegar, and a wee wooden fork, a napkin, and a lemon-scented hand wipe. Yours, for a great value £7.95!

We asked ourselves, 'What would our local community like most from a Takeaway?' Simply put, fish'n'chips, 12 inch thin'n'crispy Sourdough pizzas, and our Royale burgers, which we actually started serving in our Bistro al Fresco summer 2020. It's a 6oz Aberdeen Angus/ Limousin flame-grilled burger! 

We nailed the App and tech order process, only thanks to tech crew working until 10pm on Boxing Day night! And thank you again Hungrrr! 

Our App and tech architecture made provision for two Pre-Order Collections every 5 minutes. 

Writing the next morning 1 hour 25 mins before opening time! ⬇️ 

We thought that by opening over New Year, we might have a few customers, but we were lost for words at what actually happened. Whilst also needing to unexpectedly miracle more supplies! 

On 3rd January we were able to put up a Facebook post confirming in the first week, that we had served 1,000 customers. And in turn, that Facebook post then received 1,000 Likes! 

That same day, and having learnt from the previous week, I arrived very early that morning, and introduced a totally new process for setting up the day's printed ticket orders, holding in batches of two hours at a time, and then transferring in timed slots over The Pass. Similarly, Head Chef Sharon Munro and our kitchen brigade introduced a totally new board system which future-forecasted quantities of outgoing orders. This meant that we were then able to produce all orders, by moving ahead of the timing curve, literally 30 seconds prior to pre-designated Collection time, and then hold the collection package under hot lights, until the customer car (mobile dining room!) arrived - usually bang on time as well, our front door crew checked the car registration plate correlated to our order, and there you go, Voila! In an instant, the provision became organised beyond belief, and effortless, as it should be if there's a really good plan! 

Our kitchen service and front-of-house service on 3rd January 2021 goes down as one of our most memorable in history. Because all systems simply clicked together that day, as never before in the previous week. I went home that night absolutely buzzing!  

So, then The Courier ran the story! Fife hotel boss left speechless ...

After that, there was no stopping! It was amazing to see customers embracing the idea of 'The Còsagach winter picnic', arriving all wrapped up with extra blankets, wishing to dine outdoors on our many garden bench seating areas. Some daytime customers even brought their own easy carry folding tables and chairs, and headed into the surrounding parkland to dine! In that process then starting us thinking about potential future Takeaway picnics!

We gradually refined the offering and packaging. Speakers placed at the front doors, and we got into a Euro downtempo groove! We were absolutely amazed at how our local community had so easily grasped the App process, with many arriving during the day for pre-designated Collection times, on foot. So we lit the fire pits to give a wee focal point for the warming of hands, of course one social distanced group at a time. 

Over the weeks to come, we then started introducing new offerings, and Posh Dogs arrived! These are custom-made for Balbirnie House, by our 3 decade and more local supplier J Henderson, 25% beef, 75% pork, cannae specify the secret seasoning mix, but it includes white pepper, nutmeg and mace. We specified at 7.5 inches, for serving in a 9 inch La Boulangerie brioche bun. A proper posh hot dog! 

We considered 'the cutting edge of Posh Dog innovation and combinations' elsewhere, and then started putting together some great combinations.

Then a veggie combo of Beetroot Falafel dog, spiced red pepper hummus, harissa mayo, lettuce, red onion, red chilli and crispy shallots! Thanking former Balbirnie Bistro Chef, now owner of Glasgow's amazing Cafe Strange Brew Laurie Macmillan for suggesting this combination. 

Next up, chicken burgers! Our breakthrough on that trial came with the introduction of Panko breadcrumbs, combined with chipotle barbeque sauce. 

All things rolling, we then added Takeaway Cocktails, 4 pint draught beers, and Brewdog canned beers. Love a can, especially the grapefruit-infused Elvis Juice! 

The cocktails have clever packaging, stauners, they stand up after being opened. 

To our surprise, the Negroni never sold very well, so we dropped it from the team! Every morning now, we have a designated Cocktail manufacturing and packaging area which springs into life! 

Next to add, were ice creams and sorbets in 2 litre tubs! Our in-house Caledonian Dairy has been making the finest such commercially-made products in Scotland for many years. We already supply across Scotland, distributed by Clarks Speciality Foods, so we thought it only logical to also enable these for Pre-Order Collection as well. 

Next introduction, was a small range of of Bistro Deluxe Ready Meals, focussed very much on wonderful value. We pre-manufacture these to Balbirnie House recipes, we then blast chill, vacuum-seal and store frozen whilst awaiting Collection. 

Re-heating is so straightforward, pop the unopened bag into boiling water! 

All re-heat times via App! 

We've now gone live with our first ever Pre-Order, Collect and Cook at Home, in the form of our brand new Royale Super Tasty burger (and seasoned wedges) kits for two. Again, all instructions via App. These burgers offer a double Emmental hit, with white onion, bacon, and a secret recipe sauce which contains liquid smoke! Truly a delicious burger. I'd go as far as putting my personal tuppence on this, saying it's actually the tastiest burger I've ever had!

In February 2021 we ran an extreme value Itison voucher campaign, two main courses and two soft drinks for a tenner, Mondays to Fridays. We allocated 2,500 meals for two, these sold within 48 hours, so we added a further 250. 

At this point we decided to allocate a further 100 meals for two donated to Glenrothes Foodbank, and by circumstances alone this was Scotland's very first such 'good cause system', combining hard copy voucher, redemption codes, and App collection. The Foodbank raffled all vouchers, raising £1,000 for new purchases.

Our customers were repeatedly telling us that the Itison deal was ridiculous value, so for March we repeated but moved it up £2 to £12 for two mains and two soft drinks, but cranked the choice to include Chicken Satay Skewers, Chilli con Carne, Royale Super Tasty, Beetroot Falafel Dog, and Fish'n'Chips. This offer has kept us very busy Mondays to Fridays. All of it, a rapid learning experience. 

However, all of the above Takeaway operations has been focussed in and around our main kitchens, and as things stand today, these kitchens are certainly going to be needed to be used for something else April 26th 2021 onwards, the re-launch of Bistro al Fresco. In passing, this will be located on the right lawn below in 10 brand new dark green Gazebos. On days when we don't have weddings, available 12 noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm. On days when we have weddings, only 6pm and 8pm.

So, what happens to the Balbirnie Takeaway? Which is now rolling steadily at a constant 20 grand a week, with potential therefore for us to look to create new jobs, and continue offering great Takeaway value for local Community. 

Well ... this is what happens! You see, the Takeaway originated for what we thought would be a few weeks at most, but we've set the systems and seen it establish, and we've also watched as ongoing customer reviews continue rolling in, very close indeed to 100% total delight! Customers certainly love the convenience of pre-arranged Collection times, it's a total contrast to being parked in a very slow takeaway queue of cars for a conventional national chain 'order at the speaker and then drivethrough', and it's an opposite of needing to find a parking space and then walk, wait and collect. 

It's crossed our mind that we could perhaps offer local deliveries as well, that's a potential for the future. Stating the obvious, many customers are already simply arranging their collections by booking a local taxi driver. 

On all combined basis, we have therefore decided to take one of our other four kitchens (currently multi-purpose), and convert it into a designated Takeaway kitchen. This is a significant investment in future capabilities. 

We cannot even begin to find the words to thank our local community for supporting us so incredibly during all lockdowns, so this is Balbirnie giving something back, with a permanently established great value great produce Takeaway for Fife. And we will only keep getting better at what we are offering as well. 

Here's the layout design: 

This is a full-on installation, with seven A4 pages of equipment! 

The investment is significant: 

Today, I'd like to highlight two particular pieces of new kit. 

Drum roll please ... 

The brand new Balbirnie House Josper Grill. We first saw this at Hotelympia a few years ago, and it's a quite incredible piece of kit, a combined oven and grill which is fired with wood charcoal. Matching our brigade entrance doors and kitchen floors, ours is custom-designed with the door finished in Balbirnie blue.

If you cook a roast at home, your oven will be circa 200 degrees, the Josper is up at 350 degrees, meaning for example, that a butterflied chicken breast can be roasted in literally 3 minutes! 

('The Mighty Josper' - Image via twitter, @HawksmoorLondon)

Moving ahead, our Josper is going to deliver absolutely unprecedented capabilities for Takeaways. The Royale Super Tasty certainly goes to a flame-grilled level of Tastiness, which is totally off the scale! 

Next, drum roll please ... 

Our current Takeaway pizzas are 12 inch thin'n'crispy Sourdough. 

The Turbochef is going to enable us to move pizza manufacturing however, into totally new territory, with ability to create brand new Balbirnie Deluxe pizzas, sized at up to 16 inches! Dominoes as one example, their large pizzas are 13.5 inches. 

Our contemplation for Balbirnie Deluxe pizzas actually began in earnest in early summer 2020, with very detailed specific input from our former Operations Manager Scotland's former Young Hotelier of the Year, Erdal Ozer. This was us, sat for hours talking about the potential making of dough! 

Erdal has amassed wonderful experience elsewhere, in terms of the art of creating dough for Deluxe pizzas. Because without shred of doubt, it is indeed an art, and certainly a source of great pride amongst Fife's many Turkish-inspired Takeaways. Our sincere thanks to the team at Istanbul Takeaway Leslie, for having me along one evening in summer 2020, to see exactly how their pizzas are created. It's an extremely precise process. Erdal will be personally briefly returning to Balbirnie House in late April, to help oversee our first outgoing Balbirnie Deluxe Pizzas. 

With everything on the go, we've also decided to invest in our very own custom-designed packaging. All as environmentally-friendly as it can possibly be done. 

When we start providing the backdrop once again for weddings, our main entrance and front steps will need to be kept clear for weddings and associated photography. So, our Takeaway Collection point will be shifting, to a new point and car turning circle at our North Courtyard, new signage is installing to show the way. 

A massive thanks to our local Community for supporting the hotel over these recent months of Takeaway, and we very much look forward to being at your future service. 

All best wishes, 

Nicholas 

MD Balbirnie House 

BALBIRNIE HOUSE AND THE HOSPITALITY MIRACLE!

A few days ago, a single tweet on our main twitter: 

Over 30,000 Impressions!

So I thought it would be relevant to expand on this with today's Blog post, because where I am writing from, in the capacity as Balbirnie's managing director who also has the working responsibilities of finance director, it is undoubtedly the case, that all combined circumstances are certainly a hospitality miracle. 

After the initial March 2020 lockdown Scotland Hospitality was only able to re-open with restricted social distanced trading on July 6th 2020. Many hotels however, said they would only re-open if they could trade in an unrestricted way, and therefore they have remained shut, and still as of today they don't even know when they will be able to re-open. 

Back in July 2020 hospitality thought that it would perhaps be a few further weeks of delay, and here we are now, 9 months later, with still no sight of re-opening dates. 

I cannot begin to say how important it has been for Balbirnie House to have opened on July 6th 2020, and then continued onwards doing anything possible to keep going and fighting for our very survival, because if we had remained closed, I'm absolutely unsure if we would ever have been able to physically afford to re-open. 

To explain, from initial 3 month Lockdown: 

So, if we had closed in entirety, basically, for an entire year - the accumulated loss would have been somewhere approaching £1.6M - and in endeavouring to borrow that entire sum using government-backed lending, we would have needed to satisfy very specific lending criteria, in being able to prove to our bank that we would be able to repay that amount within the 6 years which are provided via CBILs. Proof of ability to repay, via financial forecasting and cash flows, as then signed off and agreed with the professional understanding and opinions of company auditor. If we had fully closed, we would no longer have any future diarised wedding and special event business, so we wouldn't even have been able to start any financial forecasting, let alone defining how we could begin to make an additional annual bank repayment of £320,000 plus Interest!!! 

And these comparisons dear readers, are situations in which many hospitality industry colleagues are now finding themselves in. Closed and unable to afford to re-open. This is why there are already specialists offering help in advising hotel owners how to begin to 're-purpose' their hotels. I would imagine that many smaller hotels will revert back into becoming private houses, and larger hotels will be converted into flats.

And it's not even as simplistic as stating it at what would have been £1.6M, because that's without even additionally factoring what would be needed to be made in terms of reinvestment, in necessary ongoing repairs, refurbishments, and renewals - these never stop at Balbirnie House. In reality, that figure would therefore have been nearer £2M ... 

I am absolutely shocked to the very core of my being to say this, but since the March 2020 Lockdown, many Scotland hotels and hospitality business owners (with Rateable Value above 51k), have literally only received circa £30,000 in financial business support. It frankly defies belief. There has been no equivalent whatsoever of furlough for businesses, and owners have needed to somehow continue to endeavour to pay all ongoing costs. Politicians talk about giving support, the sentiments are expressed, but the reality is truly, absolutely appalling. Near non-existent. And it is against that backdrop that we have somehow traded our way through. 

It is even worse, across the span of the entire wedding industry, many businesses have had nearly zero financial assistance, and many individuals have been basically left to fend for themselves, supported only via Universal Credit. 

Setting aside a late summer week on a secondment project elsewhere, since re-opening July 2020 I personally haven't been able to justify taking a day off work. What I have done is ensure I've maintained IronMan training, getting out in the fresh air every day, with some music on the headphones has given very valuable thinking time, wondering as always what I can do to best support brigade colleagues, and do our collective best for community. 

In the immortal March 2020 words of our (three decade long relationship) highly valued insurance broker Graeme Christie of Marsh Commercial, 'For hospitality, this is going to be the survival of the fittest!' Back then of course, we were only contemplating a closure of 'up to 12 weeks', nobody had any idea it would become a year, and longer! 

So instead of the £1.6M loss, we consolidated our finances in summer 2020 with a new 200k overdraft, and a 300k CBILs loan, took the pain of 4 calendar months of lockdown and loss of all revenue in what are traditionally always financially productive months, and then re-opened into restricted trading, but unable to deliver for large weddings. That was time therefore, for Balbirnie's brigade to think out the box! 

Summer 2020 Bistro al Fresco was amongst the most enjoyable Hospitality we've ever seen at Balbirnie House. We started by saying 'We've got 10 gazebos, there's a dozen of us on duty, and we can only bring more colleagues back to work, if we are busy enough to justify this!' 

Within days we were catering for up to 300 diners per day, with all new systems delivering App safety and records, in conjunction with 2 metre social distancing. We were absolutely staggered at the level of local community support. 

Having also paid the many re-opening costs, we were soon back to actually almost breaking even, from a standing start! In all contexts, that was a quite incredible circumstance.

In designing al Fresco f + b systems which were created for one kitchen and 100 daily diners, managing the process of accelerating to one kitchen and 300 daily diners, this was a lot of hospitality fun, many classic Balbirnie dishes blending with multiple new offerings. I started operating 'The Pass' on day one, this is the area in which we finish food presentation, then tray up ready for service. Very quickly we were rolling at one outgoing tray per minute. First time I've ever worked in shorts!

Into September 2020 and the end of summer meant basically, shifting Bistro al Fresco inside, divided between our Orangery, and 'Food in the Woods' in our Millennium Ballroom, all with 2 metre social distancing. 

This also hit the ground running, and we were on a roll until we needed to close to non-residents after 6pm, and stop selling alcohol unless it was into hotel bedrooms, or what we then created outside, 'The Courtyard Bevvy Zone'. 

All ongoing restrictions then began to hinder basically, everything. December 2020 was the absolute worst of all combined possibilities, huge restrictions, no alcohol sales, inability to trade at night, but with all bills to pay. It therefore went down as our worst operating month in history. And then, it got even worse, 'You need to shut down again on Boxing Day!' Hardly any notice, anything that we could have delivered over New Year, cancelled! 

From a financial perspective, it was then either, here comes 2021 so: 

- Shut the doors, maintain 24 hr security and start losing 5 grand a day again, or

- Offer Takeaway, maintain 24 hr security, and maybe we might end up losing a significant amount less than 5 grand a day. 

So, that's when we stepped on up for New Year, and into another new gear! The Balbirnie House takeaway opened on 27th December 2020. What we didn't say at that point, was that we had been contemplating this for months, and whilst chippie batter recipes are always trade secrets, we had absolutely nailed our new fish batter. To perfection! 

And what happened in the following week then left us completely lost for words. 

- To our astonishment, by introducing Takeaway, we were therefore subsequently able to make our way through January 2021, and 'only' lose 2 grand a day, and that pattern continued through February, boosted by selling 2,750 Monday to Thursday extreme value vouchers, a campaign which has repeated again in March. 

Since re-constructing our finances in summer 2020, we therefore made it to March 2021 without accessing new lending, but have now needed to introduce a further 100k to support cash flow. That 9 months without borrowing more money, that was our hospitality miracle. 

We thank our local Fife community for supporting Balbirnie House through these many challenges, we have been truly astonished to see such ongoing support. 

We thank everyone who has continued to hold wedding bookings. Since the beginning of Lockdown 1, we've only had 12 wedding clients who could not continue to hold bookings, everyone else has stayed with us and kept their bookings, albeit in a 30 phase process of management which has been the most profound hospitality challenge that we have ever seen. Many clients have needed to move dates once, twice, three and even four times. 

Incredibly today, we now have verging 300 future weddings booked. 

As we continue to wait for dates and numbers for unrestricted trading, our future diary and all bookings are at their best in history. To feel that level of support physically there for the future, is what drives determination and the absolutely committed desire to survive, and not only to survive, but to make sure that she ... Balbirnie House ... is ready and waiting for our clients, in as best shape as she has ever been presented to in history. (We are now finalising complete refurbishments of seven of our thirty-four bedrooms and bathrooms, so that when we do open, we are able to open all bedrooms presented to levels which are pristine.) 

We count our blessings that we have been able to keep our wedding planning team in place, to manage all of this incredibly challenging ongoing Special Event process. 

I can't say that things have been easy operationally since we re-opened in July 2020. The challenges we have been through have been the making of many in our brigade, certainly eye-opening as well. We've also seen multiple members of the brigade departing, citing personal circumstances and the generalities of the many mental challenges arising from the pandemic itself. Our thoughts with one and all. 

A massive thanks to our suppliers, many of whom have gone to extraordinary lengths to help us, amongst the angst of their own supply chain challenges as well. 

And a very special thanks to our HSBC Business Banking Relationship managers, Scott Shankland and Steve T Cummings. Together with Mark Gibson, partner at EQ Accountants. 

Many of the unfolding circumstances we are now hearing from prospective new wedding clients are so sad, there are literally no words. It pains me beyond belief to tell you this, but due to near total lack of relevant government financial support for what is going be more than a year, across the span of hospitality and wedding sectors, there are many couples who are now holding wedding dates within hotels and wedding venues which will never be able to afford to re-open. There are many couples who are now very quickly realising that this is very sadly the case. Our thoughts with all those who are finding themselves in that situation, and please do get in touch if there is anything we can do to arrange a replacement future date at Balbirnie House. 

And to conclude on a positive, we cannot begin to imagine the joy, in seeing weddings which have needed to postpone dates, now go ahead. Bring on the dates and numbers! 

All best wishes, 

Nicholas / MD Balbirnie House 

Our 2021 Letter to 287 future wedding clients

Every year we update our comprehensive wedding literature, and send this to all future clients via email. As is our custom, we always have a covering letter, so here we are for 2021:

Dear (individual names of clients), 

We are absolutely delighted to send you our brand new 2021 wedding literature, this is now published on our website.

 

Since the first Lockdown in March 2020 our Special Events wedding planning team have managed all ongoing circumstances via what is now a quite incredible 29 evolved phases of Policy, doing our absolute best for every single wedding client. As we are sure you can appreciate, couples with intended wedding dates have found themselves unexpectedly immersed in very significant and emotional challenges. In some circumstances we have seen clients change dates four times, but in nearly every single circumstance, dates have remained booked at Balbirnie House. 

 

Ongoing Policy updates via: Travel Information: COVID-19

 

We continue to await all new Scotland government updates, and in the meantime we note the breaking news, that in New York weddings will be able to commence for 150 guests 15^th March 2021 on proviso Covid-free test results can be evidenced. 

 

I can certainly say that the ongoing work from those in our wedding planning department, has been the single most profound effort in Hospitality, that I have ever seen at Balbirnie House since I started here back in 1992. Statistically, and I am absolutely staggered to relay this information, we have only lost 12 wedding bookings, in the main as they were booked from overseas. And as of today from March 2021 onwards, we now have diarised bookings for a quite incredible 287 weddings. We cannot wait to resume normal unrestricted trading, and we can’t even begin to imagine the future joy we will see at Balbirnie House. On behalf of our entire brigade, our heartfelt thanks to every single client who has postponed bookings, and continued to hold dates. This has in itself, helped to secure the very future of Balbirnie House. 

 

In summer 2020 we were unable to carry out our usual level of ongoing bedroom and bathroom refurbishments, this has always been an ongoing process of continual reinvestment. We are delighted to confirm today, that we have already re-carpeted many bedrooms, and we’re currently in progress with 7 complete bedroom and bathroom refurbishments. This will enable us to have all bedrooms available for guest use as soon as the works have completed, and for the house itself to be presented to its best level in history. 

 

Behind-the-scenes we are also underway with more significant investment in the form of the installation of Fire Suppression systems in all four of our kitchens. This is very obviously increasing the safeguarding of Balbirnie House itself, as a Grade A Listed 1777 national treasure. 

  

As is always the case each year, and as per all previous literature, our company directors require to consider the generalities of inflation each year, across our span of national inflation, rises in national wage levels, and increases across our network of 45 suppliers. This year we are factoring the generality of a 1.5% rise. Additionally, we are applying a small increase to the special rates we offer for wedding accommodation. 

 

In terms of menus, this year we have new alignment for main menus, as either Colourful, Classic, Contemporary, Scotland in Summer, and Remarkable Scotland.

 

Please also note, given the success of the 2019 summer May to September Evening Buffet BBQ season, we have reduced that pricing further, to endeavour to make this aspect even more popular in 2021. 

 

Our wedding literature has now grown to circa 25,000 words, noted this is before we even embark on our client-specific journey. 

 

This year, we have a section about our ‘by invitation’ 5 years of evolution with the Haute Grandeur global hotel awards, leading to receiving the 2019 global award for ‘Best Destination Wedding Hotel’, and 2020 global awards for ‘Best Country House Hotel’, and ‘Best Function Venue’.

(Image via Rob Thomson/ Lifetime Photography)

 Take an ultra HDR drone, and fly it around filming inside Balbirnie House for the first time? Correct! Please do feel free to pass this link onwards to your wedding guests: 

  

Since re-opening 6^th July 2020 into restricted trading, our brigade has been on a quite remarkable and epic journey in hospitality, completely re-inventing many aspects of what we do. We have evolved though Bistro al Fresco, to ‘Food in the Woods’ in our Millennium Ballroom, to North Courtyard ‘refreshment zone’, and on 27^th December 2020 we initiated with Pre-Order Takeaways via App. It has been frankly quite unbelievable and profoundly humbling to see the level of sustained local support on an ongoing basis. 

 

It’s certainly the case that many aspects of our new introductions will translate into how we can deliver for future weddings. As an example, Scotland’s first cashless hotel with wedding guests ordering drinks (should they wish to do so), via App! Well, bring on the celebrations, we cannot wait to welcome you to Balbirnie House for your wedding day. 

 

With our kindest regards, heartfelt thanks, and all best wishes for the future,

 

Nicholas Russell 

MD / Balbirnie House

Sharon Munro, our first female Head Chef in history!

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! 

Over the four years to follow, Sharon worked up through the ranks at Balbirnie House, becoming sous Chef, and directly overseeing all production in and around The Balbirnie Bistro. 

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! 

Leading a kitchen brigade is about so much more than simply creating a plate of food, it's about inspiration, consistency, people management, systems, purchasing and procurement, future-forecasting, equipment management, liaison with Environmental Health, new visualisation, new menus. Those who have been most successful in leading our kitchens, have always found new ways to work, without ever losing sight of where we've come from. And none have ever lost sight of the fact that a classic dish, and a classic creation, is iconic as it is. Plus, we're massive fans of great calmness, and gentleness in our kitchens. 

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. 

I'd love to think that maybe one fine day when able to do so, we'll see Laurie and Sharon reunite and cook together in Balbirnie's kitchens, perhaps over a very special few dedicated days. That would be quite something to see. 

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:

Today is Not a Dress Rehearsal for Tomorrow was a 20 minute film clip, which celebrated 3 decades of history, leading to receipt of the Haute Grandeur global award, 'world's Best Destination Wedding Hotel'. 

Sharon also brings one particular brand new addition to Balbirnie House, a real depth of expertise with food production in terms of mass batch manufacturing, specifically 'Sous Vide', 'Under Vacuum', whereby for example we are able to produce 100 portions of Beef Bourguignon at a time, blast-chilled, then stored as iced, then re-heated and then served to the exact same recipe every single time. This is going to mean even greater consistency in all that we do.

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

6,534 miles for the only medal of 2020

2020 is obviously a year which none of us will ever forget. I am very thankful however, that much of the ongoing fitness has been possible, and I have remained free-of-injury for the entire year. And the year has ended with a single medal, which took me 6,534 miles to achieve. 

Here is the medal, against the mirrored shine of Balbirnie's Long Gallery 2020 Christmas tree. 

 

As part of the scope of entering for this medal, everyone had to provide their own 20 character medal wording: 

Nicola Philp is a fellow member of the amazing, local, friendly and inclusive (£20 per year for membership) Glenrothes Triathlon Club, and was Race Director for the 2019 Balbirnie Duathlon. 

Reflecting back on my 7 year fitness journey, it's certainly fair to say, that nearly all of it has been target-driven. Sign in for an event, you know it's going to take place, fail to prepare, prepare to fail, and vice versa to the contrary! 

At this time last year I needed a really good motivational tool, by which to train for July 2020 IronMan Austria. We only found out that the event was cancelled, a few weeks before it was due to take place. By which time I was certainly fairly well prepared and ready to go. Weight continues to drop for 3 weeks through the apex of preparing for an IronMan. My summer 2020 weight dropped to near 12 and a half stones, and that was with supplementing the evening meal every night! 

So, what was the VR 3000? Virtual Reality 3000 miles. Here's how it works, 1 mile running or fast walking = 1 mile. 1 mile swimming = 4 miles running. 4 miles cycling = 1 mile walking. Annual target 3000 miles combined. All aspects must be recorded on Strava, either in the real or Virtual world. Nicola collates all accumulating records for all involved, and sends out a weekly Sunday 5pm email, so everyone involved can see where they are, and where they are meant to be! The entire challenge was split into options of either 1,000 or 2000 or 3000 miles. 

Hence, my total journey for 2020 was 6,534 miles. This equates as Markinch to Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur, host city for the 2019 global hotel awards! 

With swimming very constrained indeed during 2020, I was mostly focussed on cycling and running. Fast walking was only officially introduced as an option during Lockdown, and I had one (September onwards) 500 mile section of fast and turbo walking combined. As an average weekly basis, my commitment to achieve the VR 3000 took a weekly input averaging 11.5 to 12 hours, sometimes more than that. 

Focussed on not injuring myself, in all honesty I can certainly say that I would be able to retrospectively state that many 2020 miles could be classified by coaches in training terms, as 'age and capability junk miles', for example, 'rolling down the road' on Wattbike, at an easy pace with the singular purpose of racking the mileage. Many other hours however, were not, it's a matter of putting the body through what it can withstand, without getting an injury. The VR 3000 overview gave me a great understanding that fitness per se, can perhaps be better termed as 'conditioning', as you are 'simply conditioning' the body to cope with what will be asked of it in the future. 

Within the weekly 11.5 to 12 hours of training, there were however so many times that ever so gradually, I put myself through levels of endurance, which I hadn't done before. The results were the breaking of every single running Personal Best record, for all distances, and a steady increase in cycling capability, to reach Functional Threshold Power (the most power you can deliver over a measured sustained 20 minutes), of 267 Watts. If you want a full technical breakdown of 6 months of 2020 IronMan preparation and training, here's the 2020 fitness blog.

I finished the VR 3000 at the end of November, and during December I pretty much had the month off. First time per se, with a rest like this, since 2014. Time for body recovery, and a physical and mental rest as well. And I have to say, oh my goodness me I cannot wait to get started with training again. New Year's Day 2021, a 10k slow run beckons. 

So, goodbye to 2020, and wonderful news to start 2021. Because Nicola has offered to repeat another VR challenge for 2021! This time around, I've entered the VR 2000 section, my reasoning being that I've now nailed a 3000, and will be better placed for IronMan training focussed on 8 to 9 total hours training per week, focussed absolutely on 100% quality training, with continual provision for really punchy sessions, with many more repeating bursts of sustained speed, as I think these combine to deliver much better overall conditioning. 

Having embraced the 2020 VR in the knowledge that fast walking wasn't originally included, in many ways I've found that I absolutely Love fast walking, maybe even more so I think, than slow pace running. I'll flag this up now in case you see me heading down Markinch High St, a confession! 

Here's a link to that Nordic Walking clip. So, I'm ordering my poles! 😎 Nordic Walking, google the tutorials, this subject matter has global coaching. Simply put, the entire upper body gets a workout comparable to legs fast walking/ running. Now that has to work! There's even such a thing as a Nordic Walking World Cup! 

Nicola Philp has made two very significant VR challenge changes for 2021. Firstly, the opening challenge distance has very significantly reduced from 1000 to 500 miles. This means that someone could achieve it with two or so+ hours of fast walking per week. Maybe that someone is You! Secondly, 4 miles cycling = 1 mile walking/ running, has now changed to 3 miles cycling = 1 mile walking/ running. That's fairer and more relevant. 

Whilst writing this Blog, I've just received the final 2020 VR email. 

For those us who were of a mind to try 2020's 3000 category:

A massive congratulations to all fellow finishers. NB Andrea Gillan, and what a final weekly push from Alexandra Kotowicz to cross the line, both are also GTC members. 

In the 1000 category, well that's quite a story for my very lovely wife Gaynor, who enjoyed the challenge so much, ended up more than doubling the achievement, and finishing top of the leaderboard. 

You can sign up for the 2021 VR Challenge (£22 Entry) via this link:

***365 day Swim Bike Run Challenge*** 

All best wishes for 2021, 

Nicholas 

MD Balbirnie House 

THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE HOSPITALITY TUNNEL

Our sincere gratitude to everyone who has visited Balbirnie House since we re-opened. Delivering Bistro al Fresco was a summer 2020 we'll never forget, and when we moved back inside to open 'Food in the Woods' in our Millennium Ballroom, we were truly on a roll, until we were placed under all ongoing and enhanced, accelerating Tier restrictions. 

Thank you to all who have encouraged us, and those who have sent us a never-ending ongoing stream of messages of support. This has literally meant the world to our brigade. 

The scale of challenge across the span of Scotland Hospitality was already epic beyond belief, and then came the announcement last week, of a further 3 week Tier 4 Lockdown, to begin on Boxing Day. 

In breaks between yesterday's sessions running The Pass in our main kitchens, I thought I'd share a few statistics on a thread over on our main twitter feed.

It's easy to gauge reactions, so today's Blog post is an expanded and simplified adaptation of the thread. 

Our initial March 2020 Lockdown was a £1M hit. We are now estimating a further 250k loss, trying our absolute best to trade during all imposed Tier restrictions, in the timeline July 2020 to end December 2020. We estimate that the new 2020 Boxing Day 3 week Lockdown, will cost a further 130k. This now totals a quite staggering 'differential' compared to where we would have been if Covid hadn't happened, of £1.38M ... So let's hope that it's a once in a century circumstance!

As we moved through summer 2020, we were very fortunate indeed to receive Scottish Enterprise PERF (Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund) grant assistance of £85,000 - which now equates to 6% of that differential. A drop in the ocean, therefore. 

2020 financial cover has been arranged by company directors. If we completely forget about where we would have been if Covid had never happened, and instead only consider our net position today, this is covered by the loss of previously accumulated cash reserves (which were held for a very, very rainy day), a new £300,000 CBILs loan, and a new £200,000 overdraft facility. 

But there is now light at the end of the hospitality tunnel, specifically as the Covid vaccine rollout has now initiated. 

It is absolutely staggering in all contexts, but we are now holding bookings for 190 weddings at Balbirnie House, in 2021 alone. We cannot wait to resume normal trade. 

Simply put, it's now a case nationally, of what remains of the Scotland Hospitality sector, somehow being able to sustain itself until being able to trade normally again. 

Perhaps it's the case that as vaccinations are being given to those most vulnerable first, then those over 80 years old, then those over 75 years old, and so on, that Tier restrictions can similarly and quickly reduce in a way which is ratcheted to the vaccine rollout? Until then reaching the point where we once again reach totally unrestricted trading. 

Having traded through Tiers, we now know that losses are incurred in our circumstances specifically, for illustrative purposes: 

Tier 1 £500 per day

Tier 2 £1,000 per day

Tier 3 £2,000 per day

Tier 4 (suspended trading) £6,400 per day, gradually reducing after 3 months to £3,300 per day

Whereas as a generality, if we are able to deliver unrestricted trading, we usually generate positive EBITD (Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation) with an annual average of between £1,100 and £1,350 per day. And it is possible that this may increase to circa £2,000 per day when we fully re-open, as our diary is so busy. 

Without doubt, we're incentivised to start trading normally again as soon as is possible, so we can also begin to make inroads into the negatives experienced in 2020. It will certainly take us a few years to get back to where we were. 

Scotland's entire Hospitality sector is now awaiting a promised update from Scotland's government, setting out new financial support measures. It is clearly the case, that the sector needs to be supported between now and the resumption of unrestricted trading.

The full overview is very eloquently defined by Marc Crothall in an open letter from The Scottish Tourism Alliance to Scotland's First Minister. 

In the meantime, as we are entering Tier 4 on Boxing Day, we're now going to take the 3 week opportunity to deliver a Takeaway, hereby christened earlier this morning by (Duty Manager) Lewis McNab as "FEAST IN THE FOREST!"

Whilst otherwise closed and operating in suspended trading, our wedding planning department are setting up Zoom Virtual Special Events office beside the 2020 Long Gallery Christmas tree. It's going to be a lovely office! 

Traditionally, the days immediately following Christmas, and into the beginning of The New Year, are always the very busiest of the year for incoming new wedding enquiries. Our very best wishes to everyone who gets engaged over the 2020 festive season. 

Nicholas Russell / MD Balbirnie House