Tom Kitchin's Edinburgh

Yearning to spread his wings beyond his Edinburgh home, Tom worked in illustrious kitchens in Paris and Monte Carlo. But when opening his own, the unparalleled produce of the ‘greatest place on earth’ recalled him

Words by Xenia Taliotis

This article was taken from the December 2024 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.

Like most teenagers, in his youth Tom Kitchin daydreamed of travelling far from Edinburgh, the city of his birth. The world that existed beyond Scotland was huge, exciting and waiting for him.

‘We had great caravan holidays as a family, driving along the west coast and around the islands but, of course, I wanted to explore, to experience other cultures and meet people whose lives were different from my own,’ he says. ‘When I eventually did that, on my return home I realised for me Edinburgh was the greatest place on earth. There wasn’t anywhere else I wanted to be. It was where I felt settled, where I could build my business using local produce that is the envy of the world, and where I wanted to raise our children.’

Tom and wife Michaela have four boys – Kasper, 16, Axel, 14 and 11-year-old twins Logan and Lachlan – so family time is largely spent at football matches (an obsession) or hiking. ‘Running our restaurants would be a 24-hour job if we let it, so when we’re with the boys, we try to do something that takes our minds off work.’

Fishing is a big part of that. As a boy, Tom would fish for mackerel in Arisaig and Mallaig with his father, Ron – who is the chairman of the Kitchin Group – and now all three generations fish together. ‘My dad and I would throw whatever we caught on the barbecue with lemon and thyme,’ says Tom. ‘We do this with the boys now; it’s a way of connecting with each other and with nature.’

Thanks to Michaela, who is Swedish, they go foraging. ‘Michaela has been picking mushrooms since she was a child,’ says the chef. ‘She’s introduced the whole family to it, including my younger sister Nicci’s two girls. The cousins did a few mushroom hunts together last summer.’

He never takes Edinburgh’s beauty for granted, though. ‘The light here is magical,’ he says. ‘We’ve got beach, forests, crags, lochs, the River Leith. We’re so lucky.’

The landscape is both an inspiration and an education. ‘Our children have always known the food on their plates is from the earth, the waters and the skies that surround us. They know its provenance. Edinburgh makes that easy because, even though it’s a city, and a cosmopolitan, culturally and historically rich one at that, it’s possible to find yourself alone in nature – raw or tamed – very, very quickly.’

Tom is justly proud of the Scottish capital, with its long and illustrious history. The UK’s second most visited city, after London, it has 13 neighbourhoods, each a joy to discover on foot. With terrific markets, a vibrant art scene (including, of course, the annual festival) and some of the best dining in Britain, for him, it was the perfect base to open his first restaurant, The Kitchin. It gained a Michelin star within six months of launching in Leith in 2006, and at the time made the 29-year- old Scotland’s youngest chef-proprietor to be awarded the accolade. Many other awards followed, including Scottish Chef of the Year in 2007, Restaurant of the Year (Scotland) in 2008, Observer Chef of the Year in 2010 and Restaurateur of the Year in 2019. Since then, he and Michaela have opened three more establishments in or close to the capital: Kora, gastropub The Scan & Scallie, and restaurant-with-rooms The Bonnie Badger. All have their roots in his largely French training with some of the best chefs in the world.

His life in the kitchen began when he was 13, washing dishes in a local hotel. ‘I just wanted to earn some money – I had no yearning to become a chef,’ he says. ‘But the energy in that kitchen started a fire in my belly. The excitement, the speed, the passion – all those people working individually, yet together – I felt I could fit in.’

At 16, he left school to follow the path he had identified. He went first to Gleneagles in Auchterarder, and then to London, to Pierre Koffmann’s three-Michelin- starred La Tante Claire, aged just 18. ‘I was so green,’ he says, ‘a cocky scallywag who thought he was a hot shot.’

It didn’t take long to learn he knew next to nothing, and would achieve nothing unless he buckled down, listened, watched and worked harder than he could have imagined possible. ‘I was way out of my depth and exhausted,’ he says. ‘But little by little I began to gain ground and feel a sense of belonging. There’d be a very occasional sign – perhaps a pat on the shoulder – that I’d done something well.’

Now, though, Pierre is ‘like a second father’, he says. ‘He gave me some of his cookery books and kitchen equipment when we were setting up The Kitchin. He is one of the people I most respect. I wouldn’t be the chef I am today had I not worked for him.’

After La Tante Claire, he jumped into another cauldron – Guy Savoy’s three-Michelin- starred restaurant in Paris. ‘I couldn’t speak French; I was sleeping on a lilo on friends’ kitchen floor; and the pace at the restaurant was relentless,’ he recalls. ‘I felt like going home, but I didn’t allow myself to give up. Every challenge made me more resilient and taught me important lessons.’

These days, he tries to pass that on to people he mentors, telling them no one will give them the key to their success. ‘Of course, you need a certain amount of luck – I met many people who encouraged and trained me – but ultimately it’s down to you how you weather the storms and whether you have the right attitude or not.’

Then it was back to working with Pierre for a couple of years, during which he became an ‘integral part of the team at The Berkeley’, followed by a move to Monte Carlo to work with Alain Ducasse at three- Michelin-starred Le Louis XV. Here, he was third commis, which may seem like a marked step down from the head sous chef position he’d had at The Berkeley, but it was a vital notch on his career ladder.

‘That was the epitome of gastronomy,’ he says. ‘I was 24 and mentally, emotionally and physically strong. I felt the harder the environment, the greater the reward in terms of learning. You honestly don’t know where your limits lie until you confront them.’

After working as a private chef for Lord and Lady Bamford, he opened The Kitchin with Michaela.

‘Scotland is a small country with a huge pantry,’ he says. ‘It has very cold oceans and lakes – perfect for seafood and fish. It’s got great pastures and estates for rearing beef, and the game is second to none – the rest of the culinary world is very jealous of it.’ His book, Tom Kitchin’s Meat & Game, is packed with recipes for venison, partridge, pheasant, grouse, rabbit and hare.

How about vegetarians and vegans? ‘Let me tell you, they absolutely don’t miss out,’ he says. ‘Everyone who comes to The Kitchin has a meal they will remember, made from the best local ingredients – I know all my suppliers. All our menus celebrate the seasons and showcase the best foods nature can produce, and that includes the amazing array of vegetables we grow up here.’

So what would be his last meal, and who would cook it? ‘Well, that would be Pierre Koffmann, using Scottish ingredients, as far as possible. I’d have Scottish langoustine with girolles, but my last mouthful would be pistachio soufflé. With that taste of heaven, I’d be ready to go.’

TOM KITCHIN'S HOTSPOTS

L’ESCARGOT BLEU
Our favourite French restaurant in town, on Broughton Street. It’s run
by Fred Berkmiller, who serves authentic French food cooked with great produce from their own farm. Expect classic escargot and French pâtés. lescargotbleu.co.uk

THE SHIP ON THE SHORE
This local pub on the shorefront of Leith does fresh shellfish and Scottish pub classics such as cullen skink. I love bringing visitors here because it shows off our great Scottish shellfish, and it’s got a lovely view of the river. theshipontheshore.co.uk

PAZ TAQUERIA
An intimate Mexican on Thistle Street. The tacos are delicious. paztacos.com

THE FISHMARKET NEWHAVEN
Located in the Newhaven Harbour, the speciality here is classic fish and chips, and chef-owner Roy Brett does it exceptionally well. He’s known for his fabulous fresh fish and shellfish and for the great way he cooks them. I need to get my hands on his scampi recipe – my children love it. thefishmarketnewhaven.co.uk

THE LITTLE CHARTROOM
A great independent restaurant in Bonnington Road, run by chef Roberta Hall-McCarron and her husband Shaun, showcasing local ingredients. thelittlechartroom.com