Newhall Mains appoints head chef to newly reopened restaurant

Ross-shire hotel Newhall Mains has announced the relaunch of its restaurant after a period of refurbishment, and the appointment of Alex Henderson as head chef. 

Situated on the northern edge of the Black Isle, Newhall Mains is a boutique hotel and airfield which opened in 2021 following extensive restoration by owner Euan Ramsay and his family. 

Inverness native Henderson brings years of experience working in kitchens across the UK, including six years as sous chef at Newcastle’s Michelin-starred House of Tides, and most recently as head chef at Highlands hotel The Torridon. 

As head chef, Henderson will lead the kitchen of Newhall Mains’ restaurant. His menu will showcase quality British produce, taking an ingredient-led approach to his menu with “elegant” takes on classic dishes, often cooked in the woodfired oven in the hotel’s courtyard.

Henderson is committed to making the most of Scotland’s larder, with his dishes using ingredients foraged from the Newhall Mains estate and surroundings, including elderflower, chanterelles and meadowsweet. Almost everything is made in-house, including bread, named “Andy’s sourdough” after the chef who brought the starter, as well as preserves and honeycomb from the estate’s bees. 

The menu will change regularly to celebrate ingredients at their best, with a particular focus on vegetables, Scottish seafood and whole fish cookery. Starters include grilled langoustines with garlic butter, scallops, apple and fennel, and Venison tartare with egg yolk. 

These are followed by the likes of roasted pollock, salsify and crab bisque, garden herb and artichoke gnocchi, or a sharing-style dry-aged côte de boeuf with chimichurri. Guests can round off their meal with Henderson’s takes on classic desserts, from Crème brûlée with homemade shortbread to banana parfait with coconut and lime or dark chocolate fondant and homemade raspberry sorbet. 

A predominantly European wine list complements the menu as well as signature cocktails and a whisky cellar with Scottish and Japanese whiskies. 

The 35 cover restaurant is housed in a former grain store, overlooking the hotel’s central courtyard and grounds, with windows flooding the space with natural light. Guests are seated on olive green banquettes and bistro-style chairs for a “refined yet relaxed” environment, and industrial metal chandeliers and exposed stonework are lifted by bright artwork that has been provided by The Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. 

Of Henderson’s appointment, owner Euan Ramsay said: “We are delighted to have Alex Henderson join the team. His arrival signals an exciting new chapter in our restaurant’s development and I am confident that his innovative and sustainable approach, centred on promoting local ingredients will prove to be a great addition to the Highland restaurant scene.”