Falls by Orry Shand opens in Royal Deeside

Falls by Orry Shand opened at Bridge of Feugh near Banchory on 15 July, the first restaurant of his own for the Aberdeenshire chef who won this year's Great British Menu banquet and was National Chef of the Year 2024-25.

Shand, from Ellon, trained at the Balmoral's Michelin-starred Number One and under Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles. He has taken over the old Falls of Feugh building, a 19th-century cottage above the rapids where crowds gather to watch salmon leap in autumn, after a £500,000 refit by Scarinish Studio. Thirty covers, an open kitchen, and joinery by Sangster & Company of Banchory.

There is no written menu. Guests sit down to 12 to 15 servings built around whatever Deeside and the wider region has that week, with two sittings a night, Wednesday to Saturday, at 5.45pm and 8pm. Booking is open. Allow three hours minimum.