The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland, has created its own “breed book” aimed at giving restaurant diners the chance to choose beef in the same way they’d select fine wines and whiskies.
The book, which highlights four native and two continental breeds, was created in conjunction with local butcher Simon Howie and is now available to diners in Gleneagles’ Deseo restaurant. A different “guest breed” will be highlighted weekly to showcase the different characteristics and flavors of Scottish cattle. Local butcher Simon Howie has supplied Gleneagles for more than 25 years and is working with farmers from all over Scotland to provide beef for the new menu.
Gleneagles Director of Food and Beverage Alan Hill explained restaurant staff would receive extra education about the beef menu in an effort to make the new offer a success. “In the same way that we train our teams on the subtleties of wines from all over the world, we know it’s going to take the same level of education in order to give staff members the ability to speak confidently and knowledgeably about the meat which is on offer that week,” Hill said. “It will be well worth it in the long run — we’ll be offering a level of expertise that won’t be found in many other restaurants at a time when customers are increasingly interested in the provenance of the food they are eating.”