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Scotland's leading private chef launches gourmet getaways for visitors to Edinburgh
There's always a reason to visit Edinburgh - year round festivals, one of the best eating out scenes in the country and let's face it, it's very picturesque.
We were delighted to hear that Scotland's leading private chef, Barry Bryson, has teamed up with Edinburgh's five-star serviced apartments, Old Town Chambers, to offer a selection of gourmet culinary experiences.
We celebrated the launch with a stunning meal in the equally spectacular surroundings of the penthouse apartment. It was hard to take our eyes away from the beautiful delicacies offered up by Barry but when we did, we were entranced by the view over the city to the Firth of Forth.
Renowned for his expertise in hosting successful events, Barry is better known to insiders at the likes of Louis Vuitton and Glenmorangie or visitors to exclusive events at the super trendy Jupiter Artland.
But now anyone staying in the 50 beautifully appointed apartments on the Royal Mile, can enjoy Barry's culinary delights. Barry Bryson will be on hand to attend to guests' gastronomic needs: from bespoke banquets, to glamorous canapé and cocktail parties and even masterclasses aimed at transforming participants into perfect hosts. The experience is guaranteed to elevate any food-lovers' stay at Old Town Chambers to the next level.
Bespoke Banquets
Barry specialises in working with the very best seasonal Scottish produce to create stylish dishes that look as good as they taste and will prepare a menu to suit every guest's tastes. On the night we sampled:
Crab bisque, Newhaven lobster ravioli, tarragon essence and Parmesan tuile;
Carpaccio of beef, new season Scottish gooseberries, Pecorino, Earl Grey tea-smoked cherry tomatoes and chervil;
Pork belly, scallop, broad bean, cauliflower, with a take on a miniature pork pie, crispy tuile of potato with a pork and carrot ragout; and to finish...
Scottish strawberry mousse, layered with British cherry jelly on sable biscuit with a white chocolate and elderflower truffle.
Canapés
Renowned for his canapés, Barry will allow guests to choose from an extensive canapé menu including these, which we tried at the launch:
Pinhead oatmeal oatcakes topped with Scottish strawberry and black peppercorn puree and seared Highland venison;
Smoked salmon on beetroot blinis with a citrus crème fraiche;
Radish cups with seabass ceviche, avocado and micro coriander. Guests will have an experienced mixologist on hand to produce a range of delicious cocktails to accompany the food.
Party Cookery Masterclass
You can also arrange classes to transform guests into perfect hosts. Run for groups of up to six people, they will not only allow participants to learn how to prepare delicious and visually stunning food, but will also reveal the tricks of the trade that chefs and event organisers keep up their sleeves to guarantee party perfection. The lessons cost £500 for six people and include all equipment and ingredients.
Barry has hosted parties, meals and more for everyone from Raymond Blanc and Anthony Bourdain to Burt Bacharach and Nicola Benedetti, so we felt totally spoilt.
C{ate}r
He now heads up dynamic event catering firm, C{ate}r. With a background as a chef in restaurants around the world and as much time outside the kitchen working with hosts to perfect every event, Barry is now found wowing guests in some of the Scotland's finest private drawing rooms, dining rooms and contemporary art spaces.
Barry Bryson said:
" I've cooked in some of the most beautiful venues in Scotland and Old Town Chambers are certainly up there with the best. They are truly stunning places to stay and I'm really looking forward to creating memorable and delicious events for our guests, something that only Edinburgh insiders have had access to in the past! "
Opened in July 2013 Old Town Chambers consists of a collection of 50 serviced apartments occupying an eclectic group of buildings including a 15th century townhouse and zinc and timber-clad modern extension. The apartments offer the quintessential Edinburgh experience of staying within the World Heritage Site of the Old Town, combined with the luxurious comforts of the 21st century. Each apartment is distinct and unique with many original features having been retained and incorporated into the contemporary style, including exposed brickwork and gabled ceilings.
Apartments include the four-person townhouse, dating back to the 15th century with its is impressive vaulted stone ceiling and large stone fireplaces, and winding staircase leading past heavy velvet drapes to the open plan bathroom with free-standing bath tub. Other apartments include the roof-top penthouses, which provide outstanding views over Princes Street Gardens to Fife and are packed full of the latest in appliances, stunning furniture and textiles and state of the art bathrooms. Prices for the apartments start at £145, with a maximum capacity per apartment of six.
Barry Bryson
Find out more about Barry Bryson's catering at http://cateredinburgh.com
Barry Bryson on Social Media:
http://instagram.com/chef.caterer.edinburgh
http://twitter.com/CaterbyBarryB
Find out more about Old Town Chambers at www.lateralcity.com.
Disclaimer: Mr Foodie attended an event where he received delicious complimentary food. If Fred was there he'd have loved it but I'm not sure if cats are allowed into Old Town Chambers. Dogs are allowed however.
