Award-winning Fife self catering business builds on growing foodie reputation

Morton of Pitmilly is pushing ahead with its plans to promote sustainability across the board with a new outdoor cafe area, and its converted shipping container housing a kitchen where locals chef can host pop up food events.

The Kingsbarns resort was named ‘best self catering accommodation experience’ in the 2023 visitscotland Thistle Tourism Award - the first accolade secured by Eilidh Smith, managing director, since she assumed sole responsibility for heading up the business.

She is now putting together a 2023 calendar of outdoor café events, looking to attract more chefs and local artisan producers to get involved.

Last year saw well attended events offering everything from pizza to Mexican and Asian street food. She has also honed her skills as a barista and serves a coffee blend from Glasgow based Tin Donkey Coffee which is now a popular choice from the container kitchen.

The food sideline works for wedding business - Morton of Pitmilly doesn’t host its own weddings, but acts as an accommodation provider to the many full time venues in the area, such as Falside Mill and Kinkell Byre.

The continued push towards sustainability sees the farm growing its own fruit and veg, something Eilidh and her team started doing in lockdown.

Eilidh said: “We started planting all sorts of vegetables in earnest during the first lockdown, using raised beds and polytunnels. “We really enjoyed it, and we’ve been happy to continue with it, seeing an opportunity to become more self-sufficient. We are donating eight raised bed planters to the local community. They can come in and plant what they want for free, using our stock of seeds too if they wish. All we ask is that they donate a few hours a week to help me with my market garden tasks.”

It’s this idea that has also led Eilidh to consider offering “gardening holidays” on the resort, if demand is proved to be there for such a concept.

“I’d be happy to allocate free midweek accommodation in one of our holiday houses to an interested small group that would give us a few hours of gardening assistance on a daily basis over the course of the break,” said Eilidh. “They could explore creative planting, and any other ideas they have.

“We’d provide a hearty locally sourced breakfast every morning, along with plenty of our delicious coffee throughout the break. We are looking to trial this and see what response we get.”