Latest news with #MichelRouxJr
Scotsman
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
I stayed at Crossbasket Castle and enjoyed new entertainment-led dining
Crossbasket Castle's new hotel sits within the grand estate of the historic castle near Glasgow, bringing the addition of 40 upscale bedrooms alongside Trocadero's, a new Art Deco dining room and cocktail bar. They've done a remarkable job of adding something innovative to the hospitality offering while expanding the scale of their luxury experience. Crossbasket Castle has stood, in one form or another, in the 14 acres of grounds at the border of East Kilbride and High Blantyre for six centuries. The new hotel building that now sits alongside the historic landmark has opened following a £20million investment by the 34th and current owners of the castle, Steve and Alison Timoney. They created a luxury hotel and event venue from the 16th-century tower with Georgian and Victorian extensions that they rescued from dereliction in 2016. Since then it has become one of Scotland's leading wedding venues and the fine dining restaurant that was established by Albert Roux and then continued by his son Michel Roux Jr held a 3-Rosette from the AA Restaurant Guide. Michel Roux Jr now oversees the menu at Trocadero's which brings together champagne, lavish dinners and live entertainment from a substantial roster of bands and musicians. Every aspect of the hotel has been carefully crafted, from the pristine gardens to the handcrafted furniture. In contrast to the period opulence of the castle itself, the hotel is modern, stylish and designed to sit within its tranquil surroundings. The interiors are inspired by Art Deco designs of the 1920s and 1930s with opulent fabrics selected to enhance the sophisticated sleek aesthetic, and rich earth tones of green, orange and brown captured in the soft furnishings. Within the new hotel sits two restaurants: Foveran's is an bright and serene atrium where natural daylight floods the room with a palm court-style setting for a laidback breakfast or lunch. Trocadero's is overseen by Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux who works with chefs at the hotel to create a menu to match the luxury setting. Guests can expect to be transported to a magical bygone era that promises top music entertainment acts, an immersive dining experience, cocktails and an excellent wine list. Inside Trocadero's, guests will find mood lighting, candlelit tables and plush seating, setting the stage for a romantic dining experience, reminiscent of the classic underground jazz clubs which inspired its concept. The restaurant has a dedicated stage, where live performances take place seven nights a week, and its own troupe of dancers. Still to come as part of the new development is the luxury Four Angels Spa which will open at Crossbasket Castle in autumn 2025, alongside two new luxurious eco-cottages that are set to create additional private havens within the castle's estate. Crossbasket Castle is managed by Inverlochy Castle Management International, which operates 12 other independent luxury properties around Scotland, including Inverlochy Castle, near Fort William, and Greywalls Hotel in Gullane. Rooms at Crossbasket Castle Hotel start from £195, within the 40 rooms available there are two suites and four junior suites. There are nine rooms within the castle itself that start from £360. The Roosevelt Ballroom has seating for up to 250 guests. The James Little Hall has seating for 250 for ceremonies and receptions, 120 for dining, and Bailey Room and Stewart room can accommodate events for up to 40 people. Crossbasket Castle, Stoneymeadow Rd, High Blantyre G72 9UE 1 . Crossbasket Castle On arrival at Crossbasket Castle we took advantage of the good weather and explored the gardens and the riverside walk behind the main house. It's a picture perfect setting that now includes the traditional Scottish baronial grandeur of the castle and the modern luxury of the new hotel. | contributed Photo Sales 2 . Crossbasket Castle rooms A stay in a Scottish castle is the kind of experience that many travellers dream about and Crossbasket has a small collection of rooms to transport you to a different age of hospitality. Accommodation includes the Lindsay Tower Suite with rooms spread across four-storeys of a 17th century castle tower, with views across the estate. Each room includes antique furnishings, rich fabrics, heavy curtains and deep carpets. | Crossbasket Photo Sales 3 . Afternoon tea We began our stay with champagne afternoon tea in the drawing room of the castle. In these wonderfully atmospheric surroundings we were served artisan sandwiches and canapes, followed by freshly baked fruit and plain scones with homemade jam and clotted cream before a selection of homemade cakes. We ordered a pot of Afternoon Gold, a black tea blend of floral Darjeeling and fruity Ceylon. This was enjoyed with glasses of Taittinger Brut and rosé champagnes. | Crossbasket Castle Photo Sales 4 . Deluxe Double Bedroom Our room on the ground floor was stylish and comfortable. A separate bathroom with shower, Art Deco flourishes, a big cosy bed, well stocked mini-fridge, coffee machine and tea selection. Created with attention to detail, these are some of the newest luxury rooms you can find in Scotland but are rooted in a classic form of hospitality. They add to the hotel's sense of identity and grand design. | Contributed Photo: Contributed Photo Sales
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Jersey Royal Potatoes centre stage with Corrie in ad campaign
An advert celebrating Jersey Royal Potatoes, an important sector of Jersey's agricultural economy, has been shown during the advert breaks in Coronation Street as part of a new potato producer Albert Bartlett is unrolling a £3m ad campaign featuring TV chef Michel Roux Jr to mark the Jersey Royal Potato is the first time the producer has created a campaign supporting Jersey Royals since it took over the Jersey Royal Company in ad opens with fifth-generation farmer Nick Mourant surveying his crop before potatoes are seen rolling down the streets to be caught by the public. The advert then cuts to Roux preparing the potatoes in his kitchen, culminating in a family enjoying them at the dinner table. Jersey Royals can be traced back to 1878 when many different varieties were being been grown on the island. A local farmer, Hugh de la Haye, found two enormous potatoes in a local store, and that led to the development of the Jersey Royal, now Jersey's biggest crop export, accounting for about 70% of agricultural turnover, according to a report in 2024. The value of exports of the potato variety, according to the most recent figures from the Government of Jersey in 2017, was £ Hicks, marketing director at Albert Bartlett, said: "It's a feel-good ad that pays homage to the rich history of Jersey Royal and the traditional farming methods still deployed on the island today."
Telegraph
06-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
How chefs stay slim and fit (despite long hours and leftovers)
Between the pace, the pressure, the rich food and the late nights, the life of a chef is not for the faint-hearted – or the health conscious. The 2021 film Boiling Point, set in London's hottest restaurant on the busiest night of the year, got its name for good reason. Around 41 per cent of UK chefs say their job impacts their wellbeing negatively and almost three-quarters admit to calling in sick because of stress, according to a survey. And we all know that regular stress plus irregular sleep plus high calorie foods is a recipe for obesity. The saying goes: 'If you can't stand the heat, get out the kitchen.' But now, as more chefs are looking at the longevity of the career they love, they're taking a new approach: a healthier one. Tom Kerridge is power-lifting. Gordon Ramsay has run 15 marathons and five ultras. Michel Roux Jr swears by yoga and Pilates. Here, the three top chefs explain how they are leading by example in their restaurants, prioritising their careers by looking after themselves and putting their health first. 'You only change when you're ready' Paul Ainsworth In the last two years, Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth, 45, has overhauled his diet and become the fittest he's ever been. All while managing his restaurant empire in Cornwall. He's also a veteran judge on Great British Menu. He ran the London Marathon this year, having competed in Zurich Ironman last year. What did life look like before your health kick? I was always overweight as a child. I grew up surrounded by 1980s diet culture and I remember Mum packing me off to school with a Slim Fast. It probably wasn't the best thing to do, but I don't blame her. Then, in my 20s in London it was all 18-hour days and stubbies of lager. I wasn't overweight because I was working so much. I don't regret any of my path, but I'm not going to put that on younger chefs and say: 'That's what you need to do to get to the top.' People want to have a quality of life now and that's correct. When it comes to dieting to manage my weight, where I always went wrong was going to extremes. I'd say, 'Right, no carbs, I'm just eating meat.' It might work for some people, but then I find you crave bread and potatoes. With all the exercise I was doing to train for the London Marathon, if I didn't eat properly I would get horrible fatigue from the exercise. Last year I was 110kg and when I went into Iron Man I was 93kg. I'm currently 83kg, and I still enjoy a good pizza. I think for me, eating well comes down to making better choices, saying: 'I don't need that dessert.' When were you at your most unfit? In 2015, I had a lot going on. We were expanding the business and I'd taken on the restaurants Caffè Rojano and the Padstow Townhouse. My wife Emma was pregnant with our daughter Cici and I also found out my dad had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When we got to the really horrible bit with Dad's cancer I was just in this rut of bad eating. I didn't want to cook. I was numb. I'd just order takeaways. Seeing pictures from back then is quite traumatic. I just look lost. I had one pair of jeans I felt comfortable in. What do you eat at home? Two years ago, my diet was completely different. But now, I wake up and have an electrolyte drink and a black coffee. I'm a big fan of intermittent fasting; I will try and stop eating at 8pm. I'll usually have my first meal at midday. I'll have four or five fried St Ewe eggs with good sourdough, which is just flour, water, and ferment. One of my favourite things growing up was my Granny Ainsworth making me eggs and soldiers and it reminds me of that. In the evenings it's steak, new potatoes – steamed and roasted in a bit of butter – and a feta salad. I will eat steak five or six times a week. We like the marinated roast chicken thighs our butcher Philip Warren does too. I only have two meals a day, apart from on Sunday when I get my run done nice and early and then make Cici pancakes. That's our day as a family. Tell us about your weekly exercise regimen and why it works My aim for the London Marathon was to be able to say I did it in sub four hours. As the weeks passed, I thought I could get near to 3.46 but I had to pivot on the day, the heat was brutal. At mile 21 I changed my plan and went back to sub 4. I was hurting and the places you go in your mind is extraordinary. I managed 3.56 officially, and 3.54 by my watch. Leading up to the marathon I was running 50k a week, doing one 2,000m swim and two indoor Zwift cycles. I also have a gym at home. After the London Marathon, I had a rest week then will start training for an Iron Man. I need goals so I'm not just training in the dark. Exercise is now my form of meditation. It has absolutely changed my life. I feel calmer, have more energy. I can work out problems better than I've ever done. I'm the fittest I've ever been in my life. What changed your attitude towards food and fitness? When I moved to Cornwall in 2005, I got into running and body boarding, but I just couldn't find the consistency with it. Work always came first. Even when I ran the marathon in 2019 to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK, training was going well until I got the call asking us to take on The Mariners restaurant. At that point it went out the window. As a result, at mile 18 the wheels came off. Then in 2022, I went to London and had a health MOT. The doctor said you do need to change your lifestyle. I had a good heart rate, but I was overweight. You only change when you're ready. In 2023, something just clicked and changed. I realised I was never going to be less busy with work and I was in my prime to change. Gordon Ramsey, whom I'd worked for and is a great friend, recommended Chris Dominey to me, an Iron Man and triathlon coach he trains with when he's in Cornwall. Chris did some reverse psychology on me. He said: 'I'm not a drill sergeant. If you don't turn up, that's your call.' That was like a red rag to a bull. I thought, 'After everything I've built, you think I can't commit to some sessions?' What is the most demanding aspect of your job? One lesson I was taught early on is that it's all about the people. The team builds the success of the business. We now employ over 250 people, and that's a massively demanding aspect. While I'm a chef at heart, I'm not on a section day in and day out now. I'm running a collection of businesses at the highest standard. I have to be my best. Now, I feel like I'm advocating looking after yourself for my whole team. That puts out good energy to look after yourself. 'I eat so clean in the week, I can eat what I want at the weekend' Tommy Banks Chef director Tommy Banks, 35, owns the The Black Swan, The Abbey Inn and Roots. He earned his first Michelin star at 24 and is a veteran judge on BBC's The Great British Menu, having won the competition in 2016, 2017, and 2020. A sporty child and a keen gym-goer, he has navigated a chronic illness, a back injury as well as a high-pressure job as a chef to find a health regime that works for him. What was life like before your health kick? I was actually really into cricket growing up and I played other sports as well. Then I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when I was 18 and needed major operations. My bowel was removed and my cricket career ended. I fell into cooking after that. Working ridiculously hard and working all hours kept me quite skinny. Then about five years ago I got really into the gym, until I got two herniated discs in my back. My wife was having to push me around on my office chair. I had a one-year-old daughter that I struggled to pick up. My diet was also not the greatest and I put on weight. I was probably 108kg. I got to a point where I was told I needed surgery. But then I went to see a physio who said I didn't need surgery, I just needed a proper rehab plan. He reckoned in 12 weeks I'd be pain-free. At that point I'd been in pain for 15 months; taking tramadol at night so I could sleep. My wife said I needed to treat it like work and put it into my calendar. It was an intense programme, building leg, core and glute strength. The majority of people get herniated discs because of wear and tear, what you need to do is make yourself strong in other areas so you're bullet proof. This was two years ago. I marked the one-year anniversary by doing a Hyrox. Since then, I've kept training, running and doing weights. I feel good. I'm now 96kg and have a lot more muscle. I'm in good shape, feel super healthy and use the InBody scales at the gym to measure my weight but also my fat and muscle. I've got the York Ten race coming up. I'd like to do another Hyrox event but I keep missing out on tickets. It's a really cool occasion. I love the fact that a fairly middling fit person like me can compete at the same time as some really high level guys What do you eat at home? I have eight eggs for breakfast in the morning and maybe a little bit of bacon. They could be scrambled, in an omelette or poached. That's 56 eggs a week. A lot of our businesses are spread across North Yorkshire and I spend a lot of time in the car, knowing I'm not going to eat very well. If I eat eight eggs in the morning I know I had something nutritionally perfect that fills me up and gives me energy. When I have carbs I crash and I can't concentrate. I don't see any value in counting calories because not all calories are equal. It's a rubbish metric. My thing is protein. I have over 200g of protein a day easily. My fat will be well over 100g but I will only have 30g of carbs. I use Chat GPT if I want to figure out where I'm at. It gives me a macro nutrient breakdown. I have a theory that I can have what I want for dinner. If I'm home, I'll have steak and veg. Every weekend we go out. I still love nothing more than going to our pubs and having a full Sunday roast, pints of beer or a pizza. Because I eat so clean in the week, I can eat what I want at the weekend. I get to enjoy the craft side because I'm looking after myself the rest of the time. Tell us about your weekly exercise regimen and why it works A typical exercise week is three strength gym sessions a week. Sometimes it's only two because that's life. I also run twice a week. If I'm away for a week with work I will train every day, because I'm away from my family. Previously I would have gone and got drunk. I like big movements like bench pressing, that's my favourite because you get to lie down. Blocks of weight training mean you might get a personal best. I find running training more frustrating. My personal trainer might say, 'I want you to do a really slow zone 2 run'. And I can't be bothered with that. I just want to always run as fast as I'm able to. Which isn't very fast. I'm quite a big guy so I don't really do distance; I like doing between 7-10km. I'd like to run a marathon at some point but I just think I find the training really boring. Exercise is part of my holistic approach to looking after myself. If you feel healthy and you're not hungover, overweight, or tired, you deal with the stress so much better. What is the most demanding aspect of your job? The hours and travel mean the lifestyle of hospitality and being fit and healthy are not always aligned. We do a lot of events that involve long days and sleeping in hotel rooms and that makes it hard to have a routine. Some nights I have tea with my family and the next night I'm working until 1am in the morning. I do think that if you'd talked about this five years ago it would have been very different, but younger chefs are more health conscious. We used to drink every night. Young chefs don't. They're more likely to finish work and go to a 24-hour gym. You see protein shakes in the kitchens all the time. The culture has changed a lot. How do you stay disciplined with food? The nature of being a senior chef means you have to try everything, which could mean a lot of desserts. There's no real pattern to your eating. Now on a typical day I try to eat very low carbs. I'll have my eggs for breakfast. Then if I'm on the go, I chuck something super convenient in my bag like a tin of fish, high fat cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with some nut butter. That will be my lunch. Now I only eat things that are really unhealthy if they're really good versions. I'm never going to eat a Kit Kat, but if you offered me an amazing piece of chocolate gâteau from a French patisserie, I'm going to eat it 100 times out of 100. It's not healthy but it will be absolutely delicious. That's my rule. I won't eat Domino's, but I'll have a beautiful Neapolitan-style pizza. The same with alcohol. Previously I would drink socially. If someone offered me a bottle of lager, I'd drink it, even though I don't really like lager. I drink a fraction of the wine I used to, but I drink better quality. 'It's easy to lose count of what you're eating as a chef' Jack Croft When Jack Croft, 32, opened London restaurant Fallow, he reached 'another level of unhealthy'. Then when the UK went into lockdown, the chef who also owns FOWL and Roe, as well as a viral cooking social platform @ took his health into his own hands. What was life like before your health kick? My dad was a chef so my whole childhood was around good quality food. It was amazing, our Sundays were filled with cooking and making desserts and french dishes like coq au vin and tarte tatin. But obviously, it was also not great for your health. When we opened Fallow that was another level of unhealthy. We were working 18-hour days until the early hours, six days a week. My wife and I say that was my ugly phase. There was a lot of Pret sandwiches, anything convenient really, for a solid year. I was only 29 and my posture was bad from work and my knees hurt. It was the lockdown that made things change. I'd always had an interest in fitness, but it was lying dormant. I'd been very into the gym when I was 17 and even did a personal training course before deciding that I did want to be a chef. When the lockdown happened, it came at a point when we'd been working so hard. Then suddenly I had this 30-minute window to exercise everyday. That period was important for my mental wellbeing. It became a daily release from work. I started off going to Barry's Bootcamp and slowly took my fitness up a level. I'm on a training plan at the moment. I'm putting a bit of weight on on purpose to strip it back down. That's why I've started counting calories. It's easy to lose count of what you're having as a chef. Monitoring my meals recently has been really eye opening. What's for breakfast? I get up at 6.45am, do my black coffee and all my vitamins and tablets then I usually cycle to work, so there's an element of fasted cardio. I'll have my breakfast, usually with a banana and 120g of oats and yogurt when I get to work. What does a normal day look like for you food-wise? On a normal day I'm pretty regimented. I take my lunch into the restaurant with me. Something like pasta and chicken or mince and sweet potato. I like to eat very plain for balance. I know during service I'm going to be tasting things with butter and olive oil or rib eye steak. When I get home in the evening I'll have some yogurt or a protein shake. My wife's a good cook but we still eat relatively plain. I'm not at home to eat a massive amount. I get two days off a week and usually one of those days we'll go out for a meal to a restaurant opening perhaps, even then I'll make healthy choices. Before I would have had three servings of the bread and 'keep the butter coming'. Or a cheeseboard. Now I actively move away from those things. I still enjoy a glass of champagne or a cocktail. It's all the little extras that I now try and avoid. Tell us about your weekly exercise regimen and why it works I cycle to work every day and have done for the last 15 years. I don't even class that as exercise, it's my commute and gives me a base line of fitness. Then in the afternoon I'll do more strength stuff in the gym. Right now I've parked endurance style work outs as I don't have enough time. I've got a second child on the way. I enjoy doing the exercise because it means I can eat more. You're not a chef if you don't love food. I still like to have a drink. So it's just about balance. I've developed my routine so it works for me. I wouldn't say I'm as fit as I have been. In the past I've done a couple of triathlons and a couple of half marathons. Right now, I'm putting more effort into being stronger. I'm at a stage where I'm trying to understand my body a bit more rather than pushing it to the limits. I want to understand how it puts on and loses weight. What is the most demanding aspect of your job? Balancing it with the family is always tricky. We're still in a period of growth as a business, opening three restaurants in three years. Being in the restaurants is my dream, but I also want to be at home as much as possible. The demands on you really depend on what kind of environment you're in. If you're in a kitchen where there is a nice healthy meal laid out for the staff and everyone talks about healthy things, like instead of going for a pint they go for a bike ride, then you're going to be influenced by that. I think being more health conscious is a shift in everyone. Half the restaurants now are filled with people wearing gym gear.
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
New restaurant overseen by Michel Roux Jr is eye-wateringly priced
It's the kind of teething problem a restaurant often encounters within its first month of service, and, if anything, proves the team has succeeded in creating the fully 'immersive' experience they've heralded over the past year. After all, the last thing on our minds while surrounded by high kicks and cocktail shakers was the mundane reality of fire safety laws. And in the end, we make it just a few short steps away from our table before the warning is silenced, the lights dimmed, and the music resumes. On with the show. Pictured: Trocadero's is a new restaurant from Crossbasket Castle (Image: Supplied) I'm here as one of the first guests to check into the new hotel rooms at Crossbasket Castle following a £20 million investment for what promises to be an evening of 'indulgence and pure escapism'. Be it the exquisite afternoon teas, plush art deco bedrooms or soon-to-open spa, there's a specific market I'm sure this approach will appeal to greatly. Not unlike Gleneagles in Perthshire, the team appears to have spared no time or expense in their efforts to create a destination experience where luxury is standard, and it's remarkable how well this new addition blends in with the surroundings. Sleek and modern, but leaving no doubt that the original 17th-century castle building is still very much the jewel in the 14-acre estate's crown. Pictured: Crossbasket Castle on the outskirts of Glasgow (Image: Supplied) Following an afternoon of exploring both spaces, we now find ourselves at Trocadero's, the dance hall-themed extravaganza overseen by acclaimed chef Michel Roux Jr. Read more: This new restaurant, open to hotel guests and the public, is split over two levels, including a beautifully finished bar area with soft lighting and cosy booths which all but beg you to order a strong cocktail and leave your troubles at the door. Try not to get caught up in the atmosphere of it all even just little bit, I dare you. Pictured: Trocadero's promises to transport guests to a 'magical bygone era' (Image: Supplied) Unfortunately, there is something about Trocadero's that might soon burst your champagne bubbles. The prices here are nothing short of eye-watering. Had we not been invited for a press stay, I'd have needed at least one more of their dry gin martinis before daring to order. We can only hope that the quality of dishes fine-tuned by Mr Roux Jr will justify a return visit. We ask our server for the evening if the seafood platter (£80) is too extravagant for two after clocking the price tag, but are assured it's an acceptable size for sharing between a couple. Since checking in, the staff at Crossbasket have been exemplary with the answer to any query ready to go, so we trust their judgement fully. Arriving across two tiers, the dishes consist of poached half west coast lobster, Scottish langoustine and oysters, stone bass ceviche, Shetland Crab cocktail and Scottish rapeseed oil mayonnaise. Pictured: The seafood platter priced at £80. Diners can add 30g of caviar for an extra £70 (Image: Newsquest) It's all wonderfully fresh, with particular highlights including plump white meat of the lobster that's been prepared with skilful precision so there's no risk of shell cracking onto crisp white tablecloth, and the Shetland crab cocktail in a retro marie rose sauce for spooning onto crisp toast slices. Overall, less wow-factor than we had anticipated, but still a winning showcase of what Scotland's waters have to offer. Though I usually loathe to choose steak while testing out a new menu, I'm intrigued by the Josper Grill they've highlighted in the meat section, and order the 280g Rib Eye of Speyside beef (£40). A slab of meat surrounded by an ocean of nothing save the Crossbasket Castle logo stamped on the rim of the plate. Pictured: Steak from the Josper Grill (Image: Newsquest) Looks aside, the beef is tender and cooked well to preference, with a good charring I can only assume is the work of the hallowed Josper. There's peppercorn sauce served on the side too (£4) a tad thinner than I'd like it but creamy enough to enhance the otherwise lonely red meat. Cooked over charcoal, my partner's Ayrshire pork chop (£25) has that same, flame-scorched crust as the steak. It's a flavour that is hard to escape, but far from unpleasant. Especially if you're fond of a summer BBQ. His cut is served on the bone with a fraction more pizzaz, atop a pickled walnut ketchup and accompanied by sticky red cabbage and shallot jus. I'd steal his idea next time. Of the three sides we share - Jersey royal potatoes (£6), triple-cooked chips (£6) and buttered spring greens (£5) - it's the chips that impress the most. Glorious, thick cut and fluffy in the middle. Though I know fine dining portions are at play here, I'd have liked at least a handful more of those. Pictured: An enormous tiramisu for two (Image: Newsquest) From the dessert trolley (£16), it's a tiramisu-for-two, which in a stark contrast to the tiny side dishes served with our mains arrives as what looks like a small mixing bowl full of whipped cream and coffee-soaked lady fingers. It satisfies a craving for something sweet, but more does not mean better. Beneath a heavy blanket of bitter dark cocoa powder, the rest of the pudding feels as washed out. The cream too light and the filling too wet. Not to worry. There's plenty of distraction from any luck lusture puds with the live entertainment, which for many will likely be the main draw at this new venue. It's unapologetically bold and in-your-face fun. I'm a fan of the band, appearing as if by magic sometime around the first course, and bursting into a repertoire of well-executed swing classics the moment the curtain was pulled back. Later, when the dancers emerged from backstage, they put on a fabulous display. Pictured: The dancers at Trocadero's make their way through dinner tables (Image: Newsquest) Perhaps if I were less uptight, I too would have found the moments they ventured amongst the tables with plastic saxophones in hand exhilarating rather than awkward. What exactly is the polite reaction when a dancer brings their energetic routine right to you, giving it 100% just inches away from an abandoned tiramisu? In the end, I suppose it's as simple as that. Trocadero's asks you to forget the outside world for the evening, and it's your ability to do so that will determine how much you get out of the experience. But with prices like these, I'd expect the food to bring a whole lot more to the party. Crossbasket Castle Hotel, Spa & Restaurant is located at Stoneymeadow Road, Blantyre, G72 9UE. For more information on Trocadero's, click here.
Daily Record
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
'A night of pure indulgence and escapism' at Crossbasket Castle's glamorous speakeasy-inspired dining experience
Lanarkshire is now home to an unrivalled luxury cabaret venue which more than lives up to its titillating tagline "where champagne flows and anything goes". The Daily Record was invited along for a taste of Crossbasket Castle's unique new entertainment-led dining experience overseen by Michel Roux Jr at Trocadero's - part of its luxurious new £20million hotel alongside the existing five-star 15th-century fairytale castle owned by entrepreneur and philanthropist couple Alison and Steve Timoney. And it was a night of pure indulgence and escapism. Inspired by the iconic 1950s Hamilton dance hall, The Trocadero, and modelled on the glamourous speakeasy bars of the Roaring Twenties, velvet drapes are pulled back to reveal Trocadero's luxurious cocktail bar and romantic candlelit restaurant. With celebrity Michelin-star French chef Michel Roux Jr and top mixologist Panos Dimou running the operation, we knew we were in for a truly decadent experience. Starting off the evening with a Southside and classic Daiquiri cocktail served in one of the art deco-inspired booths, we were escorted to one of the best seats in the house for the main event. Poring over the high-end menu complete with Caviar Bar, Loch Ryan/Creran Oysters, Poached Half West Coast Lobster and delicious desserts on their petit gateau trolley, we selected a Beef Short Rib Crumpet and Shetland Crab to start. The slow cooked short rib fritter with celeriac remoulade whisky peppercorn sauce melted in the mouth and the white and brown crab meat with potato chips, mango and Remy Martin sauce was to die for. While savouring a delicious 700g Roasted Cote De Boef of Speyside Beef for two, grilled to perfection, we were treated to some live jazz followed by a dazzling dance display by Trocadero's hugely talented 'flapper girls' before the house band had the room up dancing to hits from the '70s, '80s and '90s. Exuberating the charm and nostalgia reminiscent of 1920s jazz clubs transporting guests to a bygone era seven nights a week, you could be forgiven for thinking you were anywhere but High Blantyre in 2025. As well as top compliments to the renowned chef, I can't commend the service from restaurant manager Kostas Mavrogiannis and his team highly enough. Their culinary knowledge and attention to detail was second to none. They couldn't do enough for us and true to Trocadero's tagline - the champagne was certainly flowing. Earlier in the day we had been educated on Brut Reserve by a representative of Taittinger Champagne and sampled some of the finest and most expensive on the menu during Crossbasket's divine classic afternoon tea experience overlooking the lush sun-soaked grounds surrounding the main castle. Our extravagant tipples included Taittinger Comtes de Blanc which came in at £53 a glass (125ml) and £430 a bottle and Taittinger Prestige Rose at £19 a glass and £125 a bottle. Not forgetting the fine selection of Chef's artisan sandwiches and canapes, we tucked into freshly baked fruit scones with homemade jam and clotted cream and a selection of delicious homemade cakes with chef's afternoon tea delicacies. Retiring for the night to our elegant and expansive top floor castle suite, complete with roll top bath, was the perfect antidote to the electric atmosphere of Trocadero's. And, true to form, following a brief conversation about Crossbasket's award-winning honey, available to purchase in their boutique, we were able to take a little piece of this magnificent hotel home with us thanks to a member of the venue's top team who had kindly left a jar on our pillow. It's certainly an exciting new era for Crossbasket with lots more to come with a new luxury Four Angels Spa opening this autumn alongside two new luxurious eco-cottages creating additional private havens within the castle's 14-acre estate. Currently, an overnight stay in the new 40-room hotel starts from £195. Castle rooms start from £360. For more privacy, guests can stay in The Gate Lodge or The East Lodge on grounds of Crossbasket's grand estate, which offer exclusivity close to the castle and hotel. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .
