As final preparations are being made for the Loch Fyne Oyster Festival, which will take place at Cameron House on Loch Lomond September 28-29, it's the perfect time to think about putting a trip to the Scottish baronial estate on the calendar for next year. The oyster festival is just one way that Cameron House is a culinary stand-out. Four different on-property restaurants provide four distinctive experiences, all committed to making guests feel right at home while dazzling them with both traditional and innovative takes on regional specialties. Head Chef Ryan Neill oversees a staff of more than 45 chefs and 25 kitchen porters, who together serve 1,000 meals a day and aim to leave their guests with the very best taste of Scottish hospitality.

Neill and his team recently earned a second AA rosette for the resort's Cameron Grill restaurant, adding to the list of honors the chef has been collecting in the past 24 months. Earlier this year he was a finalist for the "Chef of the Year" honors at the 2013 Catering in Scotland (CIS) awards. Last year he won an Acorn Award, which recognizes the future stars of United Kingdom's hospitality industry; was a finalist in the United Kingdom's "Catey" (Caterer and Hotelkeeper) Awards; and with his team served lunch to Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh and 200 special guests as part of the Queen's Jubilee celebration. Neill began his career at Cameron House as a trainee chef just over 10 years ago, and today he oversees three of the resort's four restaurants.

Among those venues is Cameron Grill, which places an emphasis on fresh local meats and seafood. Cairnhill Farm in nearby Ayrshire provides the beef, and other local famers supply the duck, lamb and veal used in some of the restaurant's other popular dishes. Some of the seafood, too, is quite local ... including those oysters from nearby Loch Fyne and Scottish lobster. Neill's salmon bar is a rare treat, offering a selection of the finest smoked and cured salmon from the country's waters.

For those who want to take seafood to the next level, the Boat House menu is rich with offerings, with oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster and salmon taking center stage. Additional options run the gamut from salads to pizza and from pasta dishes to grilled steaks and burgers. The Boat House prides itself in providing delicious options for all its guests; it features an extensive vegetarian menu and is noted for being particularly family-friendly. The youngest guests delight in innovative melon and strawberry "lollipops," local fish and chips, specialty pizzas, and the more standard burgers and chicken fingers.

The Carrick, the resort's golf and spa facility, is home to Neill's third restaurant. The Claret Jug offers a quick bite before or after a round of golf or a day of indulgence at the spa. Its "Full Monty" is a breakfast special of grilled bacon, breakfast links, black pudding, haggis, a potato scone, mushrooms, tomato and choice of egg ... a hearty meal to get any golfer off to a good start. Classic meals served all day include beer-battered haddock and chips; thick burgers; or the "19th Sharing Platter," which features haggis pakora, chicken wings, garlic mushrooms, potato skins and onion rings.

The property's fourth restaurant is the brainchild of Cameron House alum Chef Martin Wishart. His eponymous restaurant has earned a Michelin star, bringing Wishart's career full circle at the resort. He earned his culinary stripes at the hotel as a junior chef years ago, and today that passion for food that he further developed during his early years on Loch Lomond is evident in both his a la carte and six-course tasting menus. These menus change seasonally and might feature such local selections as roe deer, wild sea bass or spring lamb.

And, of course, it wouldn't be a great meal in Scotland without a wee bit of whisky before or after. The hotel's Great Scots Bar features a "whisky wall" collection of more than 270 malt whiskies from all over Scotland. In addition, guests may purchase a "whisky locker," which is customized with the guest's name and inside is placed a bottle of his or her favored whisky. When the guest checks into Cameron House, a key is waiting so the locker can be opened and the whisky enjoyed as the guest settles in.

Though it's located just 20 minutes from Glasgow International Airport, Cameron House immerses its guests in an experience that's worlds apart in terms of service. The property's 132 rooms range from twin, double and family rooms that boast views of either the loch or gardens, to junior, contemporary, executive or "whisky" suites. In addition to its array of dining options, resort amenities include the award-winning Carrick Spa, the Carrick golf course and a complete Leisure Club. For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.cameronhouse.co.uk.

# # #

Mindy Bianca

mindy@gilliesandzaiser.com

212-724-7783

CH-05 September 2013