Hotel Collaboration Helps Local Suppliers
The Old Course Hotel has over 100 food and beverage suppliers in a chain which has been built, nurtured and managed over a number of years by the resort's buyer, David Townsend. Suppliers are selected for their outstanding produce, service and their ability to meet the standards of the hotel's Food & Beverage Director, Simon Whitley.
In his quest to promote the very best of Scottish food and drink - and to secure sustainable and mutual commercial benefits - Simon launched a series of Suppliers' Lunches to develop trading relationships with his key suppliers of seasonal produce as well as harnessing new technology to ensure the best and freshest produce for his menus.
Outlining his approach to sourcing local suppliers, he says: "We are looking for specific suppliers of seasonal produce. The Road Hole Restaurant is where we focus this approach and where the menu is entirely based on local, seasonal produce. We work on the menu with our suppliers - there is a constant dialogue between us. But the produce has to be at its best - if not we don't include it on the menu."
This approach enables the hotel to build relationships with its suppliers and means Simon and his colleagues have an in-depth knowledge of what is coming into season and when. The Road Hole Restaurant menu is then built around this, with the menu changing constantly to reflect what is best in seasonal, local food.
Simon and his colleagues have broken down the typical hotel approach to dining - that the menu changes four times a year no matter what, on a certain date. Their approach is to have a menu which is much more seasonal, in the sense that he takes what is ready and works with that, so that the menu changes much more frequently.
Their openness with suppliers and the focus on quality and freshness is unusual but one which is reaping rewards and awards and helping to put local food on the map in Fife.
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