Taste of Scotland																																																																																					Ruth Allen

The publication of the millennium edition of the Taste of Scotland Guide marks a new highpoint for  the organisation which has become the standard bearer for the best of Scottish catering and cuisine. For more than twenty years, Taste of Scotland has remained true to its original objective of identifying and promoting eating establishments where only the best of fresh local produce is used to create menus and flavours unable to be found anywhere else in the world. With Scottish political self-determination achieved for the first time in 300 years, Taste of Scotland is taking pride in the role that the catering industry has played in helping to define Scotland's confident new identity.

From its Edinburgh headquarters, the Taste of Scotland organisation is gearing itself up for what it calls "the exhilarating prospect of rising to the challenge of the new millennium." Chief Executive Amanda Clark is keen to show the world exactly what Scotland can do. "The last few years have brought tremendous advances for Taste of Scotland and indeed taste in Scotland. Recent improvements in our industry can now be seen as building blocks for even greater things."

Central to Taste of Scotland's strategy is its three main public ventures - the Taste of Scotland membership scheme of over 400 recommended eating places;  its guidebook  'A Taste of Scotland : The Guide to the Best Places to Eat and Stay in Scotland';  and the Macallan Taste of Scotland Awards which reward continuing commitment to culinary excellence.

The aim of the membership scheme is to identify catering establishments which meet Taste of Scotland's standards of excellence in the preparation and sale of fresh Scottish food, in surroundings which enhance the reputation of Scottish catering and hospitality. All potential and existing member establishments apply annually to Taste of Scotland, and during the January to June period are inspected thoroughly by a qualified, fully trained and professional inspector. Depending on the establishment's rating against 30 strict criteria, an offer of scheme membership will be made, or advice given on how to improve standards if unsuccessful. 

What is a Taste of Scotland inspector looking for? "They're looking for establishments that use the best of fresh local produce - with credit given to local suppliers - and appropriate regional styles of cooking," says Amanda. "Of course there must be a commitment to high standards of welcome, hospitality, ambience, cleanliness and service - all the factors which enhance the reputation of Scottish hospitality."

Membership of Taste of Scotland brings automatic entry into the annually published Taste of Scotland Guide. "A place in the Guide cannot be 'bought'," Amanda emphasises. "Everyone has to earn it through the rigorous inspection process." Taste of Scotland believes that no other guide offers such a comprehensive range of places to eat and stay across Scotland and the Islands, from quiet, off-the-track places for a quick bite, to special places for that memorable dinner or celebration. "The very best need not be elitist," Amanda points out. "We aim to represent all types of establishment from tea-rooms and coffee shops to every conceivable type of restaurant, formal and informal. We are simply looking for the best Scottish hospitality, skilful cooking and presentation and, of course, a commitment to quality." Users of the Guide can be guaranteed that every one of the 400+ establishments included has been sampled recently by one of the team of qualified inspectors, and has met - or indeed exceeded - Taste of Scotland's criteria.

To ensure a continual striving for improvement, the Macallan Taste of Scotland awards are given annually to the best of Taste of Scotland establishments. Nominations are taken first from Taste of Scotland customers who have had an outstanding experience at any establishment, using coupons in the Guide or nomination cards available at most establishments. Next, nominations are taken from Taste of Scotland inspectors at the end of the inspection season, and a shortlist of establishments is drawn up and judged by a panel of experts. Awards are restricted to establishments which are listed in the previous Taste of Scotland Guide - thus clearly leaders in their fields and fully committed to excellence.

For those establishments aspiring to Taste of Scotland standards, the organisation offers an advisory service, where an inspector will visit to sample services and offer informal advice on the standards to be met. If the establishment subsequently applies for membership, the usual incognito inspection process will decide on whether membership is granted or not. "The time and expertise of our fully qualified, experienced and professional inspectors is aimed at ensuring that they recommend only the best eating places in Scotland," comments Amanda. "We see ourselves as part of a larger educational process dedicated to raising standards."

One of Taste of Scotland's current ventures is establishing itself in the United States market. Thanks to a new distribution deal - and partly with the backing of the Scottish Tourist Board -   the Taste of Scotland Guide is now available in American bookshops. "We've wanted that for a long time," comments Amanda. "So many Americans have a great interest in Scotland, and with the Guide now enhanced by full colour reproductions, it is proving to be an attractive and invaluable guide in helping them plan their trips." Equally at home, with food and celebrity chefs being one of the main media subjects of the moment, Amanda is confident that the Guide will prove a 'must' for Scottish lovers of fine food. "By using this guide, people can be sure they have a reliable recommendation. Apart from enjoying the hospitality to the full, we hope that customers will feed back their opinions to us. What people think of our recommendations is important to us."

'A Taste of Scotland 2000' is available from all bookshops and tourist outlets, price £7.99, with the added bonus this year of a selection of the best Taste of Scotland recipes chosen by chief inspector Wendy Barrie. Full information on the organisation - a non-profit-making body funded by a variety of tourist and food bodies and by its members fees - is  available on the website www.taste-of-scotland.com, which also has links to a number of its member organisations; by the end of this year it should have become a fully participatory, interactive site for culinary enthusiasts worldwide.