Tom Tsappis

Chef Tom Tsappis's culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in a harmonious blend of Scottish locality and sophisticated Japanese technique, all while maintaining an informal yet luxurious dining experience. His core ethos centers on delivering "delicious, interesting and creative food that is shaped by the seasons," with a palpable Asian influence stemming from his wife Matilda's heritage and their shared time living in Japan. He champions a service style that is knowledgeable but eschews any hint of pompousness or pretension, ensuring a welcoming environment. Ingredient sourcing is paramount to Tsappis's vision. The restaurant's two-acre kitchen garden, the surrounding woodland, and the ocean serve as his primary larder. He collaborates closely with his gardener, Clive, who is considered their most important supplier, growing a diverse array of ingredients – some conventional, some atypical for the Scottish Highlands, such as wasabi, sansho, burdock, okra, shiso, and kabocha pumpkins. Complementing these hyper-local elements are select international ingredients like Spanish truffles and N25 caviar, chosen to elevate and broaden the flavor profile of his dynamic 18-course tasting menu. Tsappis succinctly defines his approach as residing at "the crossover point in the Venn diagram" of Scottish and Japanese cuisine. While his food is localized to Killiecrankie, utilizing ingredients directly from his environment, the preparation methods draw heavily from Eastern techniques. This allows for a unique culinary voice that transcends mere fusion, creating a coherent menu where not every dish needs an exact balance of both traditions, but the overall experience skillfully navigates between them. Furthermore, Tsappis is a proponent of extensive preservation, employing pickling, dehydrating, making preserves, vinegars, kimchi, and miso to ensure a "cuisine of place" even during the colder months. Creativity stands as a pillar of Tsappis's cooking; he aims to serve food that guests "will not eat anywhere else." This pursuit of individuality and thoughtful provocation is admired in the work of chefs like Andoni Luis Aduriz, whose fearless and singular approach, even if not always conventionally delicious, inspires profound reflection and respect. Chef Tom Tsappis's technical mastery is characterized by a precise and imaginative application of Japanese techniques to Scottish produce, encapsulated in his motto: "Scottish produce, Japanese technique and imagination." He presents a dynamic 18-course tasting menu within an intimate 12-seat dining room and a 2-seat chef’s counter. His kitchen, centrally located and entirely open, blurs the traditional boundaries between front and back of house, with chefs directly serving dishes and engaging with guests, fostering a unique, interactive, and deeply personal dining experience. His most celebrated creation, the "Dripping Fried Porridge," stands as a testament to his inventive reinterpretation of Scottish culinary heritage. This legendary dish features a solid block of porridge cooked with a rich beef stock, generously filled with slow-cooked oxtail, and then fried to perfection in beef dripping. It is elegantly topped with a pickled walnut puree and Isle of Mull cheddar cheese, serving as a sophisticated nod to the traditional Scottish 'porridge drawer'. Tsappis delves deep into Japanese culinary science, evident in his meticulous process of creating house-made ingredients. He crafts his own tofu and works extensively with Japanese dashi stock. A prime example of his technical prowess is his development of a Scottish-inspired katsuobushi: curing local venison in koji (a traditional Japanese fermentation starter), then meticulously smoking it over peat for 5 to 10 days until 90% of its moisture is lost. The dried venison is then shaved with a katsuobushi grater sourced from Tokyo, forming the foundational base for a rich, flavorful broth – a truly bespoke and localized interpretation of an Eastern staple. His dishes are crafted to be both intriguing and delicious, pushing boundaries while maintaining a profound connection to their ingredients and cultural influences. Tsappis's approach to flavor and plating emphasizes uniqueness and thoughtful composition. Drawing inspiration from chefs known for their untethered creativity, he constructs dishes that are both visually captivating and intellectually stimulating, ensuring each course contributes to a cohesive narrative that walks a tightrope between contrasting culinary traditions.

Career

• Cook at Various (self-taught), Tokyo
• Student at Leiths Culinary School, London
• Stagiaire at Aquavit, London
• Stagiaire at The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds
• Chef-Owner at Elia (supper club), East Dulwich, London
• Chef-Owner at Killiecrankie House, Killiecrankie

Mentored by Matilda Tsappis.