On Saturday 31st March we were lucky enough to be asked to rendez-vous with the great and the good of Edinburgh at the newly decorated Hub at the top of the Royal Mile for the one night only pop-up restaurant run by the students of Lycée Hôtelier in Dinard with the support of Institut francais and Frédéric Berkmiller .
11 budding chefs were given 4 days to explore the Scottish Larder and work in some of the best restaurants in Edinburgh; Restaurant Martin Wishart, Roy Brett’s Ondine Restaurant, Wedgwood the Restaurant, Craig Wood’s The Wee Restaurant, Frédéric Berkmiller’s Escargot Restaurants.
The 11 students rolled up their sleeves to run their one-night-only restaurant under the guidance of their teachers and a couple of local chefs. They produced a unique menu of French cuisine with the best of the Scottish produce for around 300ppl which as we all know is no small task.
We arrived and were politely greeted and signed in before being met with a glass of kir (a popular French cocktail made with a measure of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) topped up with white wine) and a wine list to pre-order what we would like to drink with the meal. The wine list was selected by Eric Boschman, named World’s best sommelier in 2010. The food menu was revealed at this stage but not much was given away, which kept the guests guessing. We selected a bottle from the fantastic wine menu and then set about finding our table. We were on a table with 5 other couples who were a mix of ages and professions, all eager to try the cuisine and most of them sent along by L’Escargot Bleu.
The evening started with a video showing where and what the students had been up to. It gave a wonderful overview of what had been going on behind the scenes in the build-up to the pop up restaurant. The students had visited many places including Sunnyside Farm and Welch Fishmongers where they learnt how to gut a fish and the craft of butchery. As the small talk started around the table the Mise en bouche arrived- Veal tartar. The table were a little hesitant to try the mise en bouche, but were pleasantly surprised by the texture and the flavours. Our French feast had begun.
On to the ‘buffet’ style starter which included beef pies, pork pâté, sea bream tartar, smoked salmon with citrus fruits sauce… and many other things, but unfortunately, I don’t have the full list. Has to be said that a buffet for 300 was not the most speedy process, and the lack of signage was certainly noted when loading our plates, as we had no idea of what was what. By means of trial and error,
the table sat about sampling the selection. A particular favourite of my companions was the beef pork pie, and I loved the salmon pâté. The sea bream tartar with passion fruit marinade was certainly something worth trying.
After the array of starters we waited with anticipation for the main course. A selection of slowly cooked veal, pork and beef with mash potatoes and swede (rutabaga). This was cooked beautifully and the presentation wasn’t bad considering the quantity of guests. The dessert was a variation of the Paris-Brest, a choux pastry filled with whipped cream. To recognise Dinard in Edinburgh, the chefs added a whisky sauce on the side. A deliciously sweet end to the meal.
The food was varied and exciting, and it has to be said that some I loved and would certainly try again, other things I was glad I had tried! Overall the evening was a great success and we are already looking forward to next year.
The Hub, Castle Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NE 0131 473 2049
The Reporter Food reviewer, Celia Graham, is a partner in The Lifestyle Company Scotland You can follow the company and their lifestyle tips on Twitter
Photos: Gildas Bouric
