MAIN COURSE
Brasserie Prince by Alain Roux The Balmoral, Edinburgh
Words: Richard Frost • Photography: Courtesy of Rocco Forte Hotels
B
rasserie Prince unites two of the world’s top hospitality
the time had come to replace the hotel’s other venues – the
dynasties in a common goal: to bring the classic
Celtic-inspired Hadrian’s Brasserie and contemporary cocktail
French brasserie into the 21st century. On one side is
destination The Balmoral Bar – with something new.
the Roux family, who have consistently raised the bar
“This was the final piece of the puzzle,” she says. “We had
at celebrated venues like The Waterside Inn in Bray and Le
redone Palm Court, reopened Scotch, refreshed Number One
Gavroche in London (the former being the only restaurant
and revamped the suites and rooms, so this was the last space
outside France to retain three Michelin stars for more than
that felt the same as when we started. The old brasserie wasn’t
30 years). On the other is the Forte family, who rose to
very well conceived and, while we were keen to stick with the
prominence leading Forte Group before losing control of the
brasserie direction, we wanted to do it right.”
hotel and restaurant giant in a £4 billion takeover by Granada
From the beginning, Forte’s first choice to run this new
in 1996; the dynasty subsequently bounced back by launching a
brasserie was Alain Roux, Chef-Patron of The Waterside Inn,
new luxury hotel company, snapping up The Balmoral in 1997
and his father Michel, a culinary legend whose passion for
and steadily growing the portfolio ever since.
food remains as strong as ever at the age of 77. The reason
The Balmoral, now one of 11 Rocco Forte Hotels sites
was partly personal – The Waterside Inn is where she goes to
across Europe and the Middle East, occupies a special place
celebrate special occasions – and partly professional, since she
in Scottish hearts. Formerly the North British Station Hotel,
has long admired the way they have grown the family business
the property’s iconic clock tower looms large over the city’s
and revolutionised the UK restaurant scene. For Roux père et
main train station, and its guests have included everyone from
fils, meanwhile, the chance to revive classic French brasserie
Sophia Loren and Sir Paul McCartney to Harold Wilson and the
fare proved impossible to resist.
Queen Mother. Its F&B options are similarly varied, ranging
“We’re trying to bring back authentic, simple food,”
from Jeff Bland’s Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant
explains Michel. “This isn’t about fine dining,” agrees Alain.
Number One and afternoon-tea lounge Palm Court to signature
“It’s about good ingredients cooked properly to create tasty
whisky bar Scotch and café-bar The Gallery. But Rocco Forte
food like our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents
Hotels’ Group Director of Food & Beverage Lydia Forte felt
used to eat. What’s strange is that so many of the dishes we
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