Sample award-winning culinary delights from the kitchen of Carlowrie’s inspirational chef Richard Heller.

A World of Choice

Head Chef Richard Heller is a native of California, where he grew up in hospitality to appreciate the fresher flavours of South American and Asian influenced cuisine.

Richard moved to Europe in the early 1990s working in top kitchens across Europe to refine his knowledge of classic cuisine. Richard and his wife settled in Edinburgh and opened the Old Bell restaurant, which picked up many awards including best new restaurant and a coveted Michelin recommendation. Richard moved to executive chef for Scottish hospitality group Caledonian Heritable, overseeing dozens of Scottish restaurants before honing his banqueting skills as a head chef with luxury Scottish event caterers Wilde Thyme.

Tempted back  to Los Angeles for an executive chef position  he oversaw menu development in all hospitality offerings and fine dining. Richard and his family returned to Edinburgh during the pandemic and began working at Carlowrie in September 2020.

Fresh and Local

Richard makes full use of Scotland’s excellent seasonal larder with a strong network of hand-picked suppliers , Carlowrie’s kitchens are provided with only the best of locally-sourced produce. Our beef comes exclusively from the Buccleuch estate; local growers are responsible for our fresh produce; and our fish hand-picked at dawn by expert-fishmongers along the Scottish coast.

Homegrown Goodness

The Carlowrie Estate is home to two splendid Mackenzie and Moncur hot houses, last used by renowned botanist and former owner of the castle, Isobel Wylie Hutchison. Following an extensive renovation program that involved over one thousand new panes of glass, these Victorian glass houses have been restored to their former glory. The glass houses now grow fresh produce that is used in the Carlowrie kitchens.