The tranquillity and leafy surroundings of the Norton House Hotel give it a feeling of splendid – not to mention exclusive – isolation, yet it’s less than two miles from Edinburgh airport and seven from the centre of town. This mixture of exclusivity and easy access has made it hugely popular, not only with guests but also with some high-profile owners. When David Murray, chairman of Rangers FC, sold it to Richard Branson in 1989 it became the first-ever Virgin Hotel. It’s now part of Hand Picked Hotels, the luxury group owned by Guy Hands.
Norton House has just completed a £13million investment programme that promises to make it even more popular – there’s an upmarket leisure club and spa, 36 more luxury bedrooms and the new Garden Suite conference and event centre.
Central to the hotel’s success is its outstanding food. Alongside Ushers, the fine dining restaurant which boasts three AA rosettes, the hotel also has a busy, modern brasserie, which has just been extended from 72 to 130 covers. Then there’s the banqueting – during the week Norton House hosts corporate conferences, at weekends it’s busy with weddings. The hotel’s four main kitchens service very different catering operations but they have two things in common: they serve the very best food and they all use Rationals.
The hotel has just installed three more 20-grid Rational SelfCooking Centers – two for the new Garden Suite and one for the brasserie. General manager Ronnie MacKay explains the continuing reliance on Rational cooking technology: "The reasons are simple: the speed at which they operate, and the quality of food they deliver. On both counts, the Rationals are second to none."
Head chef Graeme Shaw says the Rationals are in use all day, every day – from breakfasts to banquets. For him their biggest advantage is versatility. "The food operations at Norton House are very diversified: a mix of exotic and seasonal recipes in Ushers, modern British cuisine in the brasserie – dishes like lamb shank and fish & chips – and quality menus for the banqueting," he says. "The Rationals are brilliant. We do everything in them: from citrus soufflé to roast potatoes. And they regenerate brilliantly – as well as using the SelfCooking Center’s ‘Finishing’ function for banquets we regularly plate up breakfasts for conferences for a hundred or more."
One of Ushers’ signature dishes is Braised Blade of Beef with Foie Gras & Onion Ice cream. "We slow cook the beef for four hours in the Rational – it gives a beautifully succulent finish. And it’s just as good with delicate dishes like chocolate fondant – they take about 25 minutes at half power, and they’re perfect every time."
Graeme Shaw is particularly fond of the SelfCooking Center’s self-cleaning function. "It’s fantastic, it makes life very easy!" he says.
The kitchen design and installation at Norton House were carried out by the Airedale Group. Ronnie MacKay says: "Despite a really tight schedule, Airedale did a top job: they’re fast, the work quality is excellent and they deliver what they say they will, when they say they will."
For information and brochures, or to arrange to come to a free SelfCooking Center® ‘TeamCooking Live’ seminar, contact your dealer, freephone Rational UK on 0800 389 2944 or call +44 800 389 2944. For product information and contact details see www.rational-UK.com
For more on Norton House see www.handpicked.co.uk or call 0845 072 7468.
For the Airedale Group visit www.airedale-group.co.uk or call 01274 626666.