St Andrews restaurant, Haar, named in best 1000 around the world

LaListe stunned chef Dean Banks by announcing its annual picks late last week, with his flagship Haar St Andrews as one of 10 Scottish restaurants on the list.

The accolade follows hot on the heels on the AA awarding a four th Rose t te to Haar, making it one of the seven best places to eat in Scotland according to its rankings.

Dean said: “I had no idea this was coming, it was a very very nice surprise to turn on my phone and see we were ranked one of the best restaurants on the planet. Haar is my baby, the first restaurant brand I created and it has grown and developed with me and with the group.

“The concept is you’re coming to my home as a guest for dinner with my family, and part of the family. That’s why I wanted to add rooms, and the feel of them is more like guest rooms in my home than a hotel.

“I did a lot of the work in converting those rooms to bedrooms myself, from furniture to floors to being on the roof and pretty full on stuff. I grew up with both my mums teaching me to do things for myself and be self-sustaining and I am very grateful for that upbringing

“I am very conscious of passing that on to my boys now which is why you’ll see Francisco working in the lobster roll shack he built himself and Felix foraging and cooking with me.

“My wife Isabela is a hugely talented artist and many of her works hang in Haar, along with pieces and things like light fittings we made from foraged sea waste and old lobster creels and things. It’s a real family business in the proper old sense of the word, where the staff are just incredible and the greatest asset we have. It’s actually very emotional to see this latest achievement spelled out like this.

Dean, who grew up in Arbroath, wanted to create a world class restaurant in Fife, and turn St Andrews into a foodie destination.

He said: “It’s crazy to me that St Andrews wasn’t in any way a foodie town, it was a student town and a holiday spot of course, a huge golf destination but it simply didn’t have the food factor.

“It makes me really proud that we led the way on that front. Now there are lots of amazing restaurants here and new ones popping up all the time.

“I can see we have had an impact, from introducing good friends like the American influencer Kalani Ghost Hunter to the place he now loves so much, to encouraging other groups and brands to come here and open up. I welcome competition- it’s a healthy thing for us and for the area. We are leading the way but we absolutely want more quality food offerings here, it helps us all and it helps the town and the economy.”

Chef Dean travelled the world and picked up a passion for Asian spices, flavours and influences, which he melded with the Scottish food of his youth to create his signature fusion take on modern Scots cuisine.

And his passion for the local area, for the absolute best of Scottish produce sourced locally and for helping lift the local suppliers and community up with him means his success is the boost for the area that he wants.

“Scottish food is at the heart of it all for me, whether I am diving myself for lobsters off St Andrews beach or getting them off our supplier’s boat in the next town, they’re so fresh. Seaweed comes from the beach every morning, veg is collected on the way in, herbs form my garden at home.

“Tasso the head chef at Haar is bringing in new suppliers as we want him to build his own relationships, he’s really doing us proud and he’s helping us evolve too.

“To be one of the best 1000 restaurants in the world, one of the 10 best in Scotland according to laListe and the top seven for the AA, and in the Michelin Guide, is genuinely special as it’s for Haar and for all of us. Thank you.”

> The 10 Scots spots featured in la Liste’s top 1000 in the world are Cail Bruich, Inver, Edinbane Lodge, The Glenturret Lalique, Andrew Fairlie, The Peat Inn, Haar, The Kitchin, Number One at The Balmoral, and Martin Wishart.