French chef Mikael Helies (37) is the new head chef at the Castle, which already holds an AA rosette for food.

The son of a butcher, Mikael hails from Brittany, an area known for its superb gastronomy and, in parallel to Sutherland, its fabulous seafood caught fresh every day.

He is enjoying a distinguished career, having worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Switzerland as well as spells in Ireland and Belgium before coming to the north of Scotland where he worked at such as the Muckrack Lodge Hotel at Dulnain Bridge, the Marine Hotel in Brora and the Kincraig House Hotel in Invergordon.

Prior to joining the team at Dornoch Castle, he was head chef at the Teaninich Castle in Alness.

Colin Thompson, Dornoch Castle proprietor, said: "We are delighted to secure someone of Mikael's calibre to Dornoch Castle and wish him all the very best here. He already knows the area and has worked in the north for a number of years.

"He demonstrates a real love of food and is incredibly enthusiastic about maintaining and surpassing our current AA rosette standard.

"His appointment is also crucial to our future plans here at Dornoch Castle as next year we begin work on a major £1.6m redevelopment which will include a brand new bistro, coffee shop and bar as well as 12 new bedrooms and a spa.

"Mikael will be leading the new bistro menu, with our guests and visitors having a fabulous choice of formal and informal dining all to the same high standards. We are also developing the hotel's original cellars into exclusive fine dining rooms."

Mikael said: "I am already thoroughly enjoying the challenge here at Dornoch Castle. The hotel has a very comfortable and welcoming atmosphere – it already had a great reputation for quality of food and overall dining experience and I want to ensure that diners return again and again when they come to eat with us."

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