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Amidst its dramatic, jagged mountain skyline, meandering roads and constantly shifting weather, the Isle of Skye has long appealed to lovers of the wild. Over the last decade, however, the largest island in the Inner Hebrides has been attracting visitors for other reasons – its vibrant food and drink scene. Pioneering this movement are young Sgitheanach (people from Skye) with a global outlook but a commitment to homegrown, sustainable ingredients. It’s also the result of an engaged community eager to create good, permanent jobs that encourage young people on the island.

A Dedication to Local Produce

Calum Montgomery is raised on Skye, and he’s fervently focused on highlighting the island’s bounty on his menus. “When visitors arrive on Skye I want them to value the landscape, but also the excellence of our ingredients,” he says. “Our mussels, lobster, scallops and crab are second to none.” He reflects on history: “It is profoundly important to me to use the identical produce as my predecessors. My grandpa was a lobster fisherman and we’re enjoying shellfish from the same stretch of water, with the same respect for ingredients.”

Montgomery’s Skye Tasting menu displays the distances his products has been transported. Patrons can feast on succulent scallops dived by hand in a nearby sea loch (no distance), and creel-caught lobster from the island's capital (a short distance) with vegetables, foraged herbs and edible flowers from the restaurant's plot and seashore (locally sourced). That connection to local bounty and producers is essential. “Recently I took a young chef out with a shellfish forager so he could learn what they do. We prepared scallops directly from the sea and consumed them uncooked with a dash of citrus. ‘That’s the best scallop I’ve ever eaten,’ he said. It is this experience that we want to offer to the restaurant.”

Food Champions

Driving in a southerly direction, in the majesty of the imposing Cuillin mountains, a further gastronomic advocate for Skye, an innovative restaurateur, operates a well-loved café. Recently she promoted the nation's food at a prestigious international gastronomic gathering, offering lobster rolls with Scotch-flavored spread, and haggis quesadillas. She initially launched her café elsewhere. Coming back to Skye during the pandemic, a short-term residencies demonstrated there was a market here too.

While enjoying a signature creation and delicious trout cured with blood orange, the chef explains: “I take great pride that I established in an urban setting, but I found it challenging to achieve what I can do here. Sourcing fresh ingredients was a significant effort, but here the scallops come straight from the sea to my kitchen. My shellfish supplier only speaks to me in the traditional tongue.” Her affection for Skye’s offerings, locals and scenery is apparent across her bright, innovative dishes, all infused with regional tastes, with a twist of local culture. “My relationship to local traditions and language is deeply meaningful,” she says. Patrons can use educational materials on the tables to learn a basic terms while they dine.

Many of us worked elsewhere. We’d see the produce turn up far from where it was harvested, and it’s just not as good

Innovation and Tradition

Long-running dining establishments are not resting on their laurels. A luxury lodge run by a heritage keeper in her traditional property has for many years been a foodie destination. The owner's mother authors well-loved books on the nation's cuisine.

The culinary team persistently creates, with a energetic emerging talent under the guidance of an talented kitchen leader. When they’re not in the kitchen the chefs cultivate herbs and spices in the hotel greenhouse, and forage for edible weeds in the landscaped areas and ocean-foraged botanicals like sea aster and scurvygrass from the coast of a local sea inlet. In the fall they pursue deer trails to find mushrooms in the forest.

Visitors can sample island-harvested shellfish, Asian greens and nuts in a delicious broth; Shetland cod with local asparagus, and chef-prepared lobster. The hotel’s outdoor guide takes guests out for experiences including wild food gathering and angling. “Guests are very interested for experiences from our patrons,” says the establishment's owner. “People want to come and deeply experience the island and the natural environment.”

Supporting the Community

The whisky industry is also playing a role in keep the younger generation on Skye, in employment that extend past the summer period. An distillery leader at a regional spirits maker notes: “Seafood farming was a significant local employer in the past, but now most of the jobs are automated. Property costs have gone up so much it’s challenging for the youth to live here. The distilling business has become a vitally significant employer.”

“Jobs available for aspiring distillers” was the announcement that a young island resident spotted in her local paper, leading to a position at the spirits facility. “I decided to try,” she says, “I didn't expect I’d get a distillery position, but it was a dream of mine.” The employee had an curiosity about whisky, but no relevant qualifications. “The chance to learn on the job and study digitally was transformative.” Currently she is a senior distiller, helping to train new distillers, and has crafted her signature spirit using a unique grain, which is aging in casks when observed. In other distilleries, that’s an privilege usually given to seasoned veterans. The tasting room and cafe employ a significant number from around the nearby region. “We meld into the community because we attracted the community here,” says a {tour guide manager|visitor experience lead|hospital