The first award for hospitality excellence created in honour of legendary Scottish chef Andrew Fairlie has been won by Dumfries House, the 18th-Century Ayrshire country mansion and estate rescued and redeveloped by Prince Charles.

Fairlie, who passed away in January after a long battle with a brain tumour, was Scotland’s only double Michelin Star holder for his eponymous hotel at the five-star Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire. The Catering Scotland Excellence (CIS) Awards, the country’s most prestigious annual competition for the hospitality industry, set up the award in his memory this year.

Staff were presented with the award by Andrew Fairlie’s widow Kate in recognition of the estate’s contribution to Scotland’s hospitality industry.

Louis MacCallum, Director of Commercial for The Prince’s Foundation at Dumfries House, said “At Dumfries House, we take great pride in offering excellent hospitality to visitors and members of the local community. Whether it’s their first or 100th visit to the estate, we want them to leave feeling like they’ve had a special experience which they will always remember.

“To be awarded the inaugural Andrew Fairlie Award for Hospitality Excellent is an honour and all of the staff are incredibly proud of this achievement.”

Dumfries House operates as a tourist attraction and educational centre, offering young people the opportunity to engage in learning experiences that promote confidence, personal development and training in real life skills.

The 2000-acre estate features a restaurant, a cafe and a five-star luxury bed and breakfast, and is available to hire for weddings and other special events throughout the year.

Andrea Nicholas, Chair of the Advisory Board, said, 'Andrew Fairlie was unequivocal about using the word ‘excellence’ in the CIS Awards’ name and only accepting and judging entries which lived up to the term.

'Dumfries House encapsulates all that. It has become a symbol of excellence in hospitality, hosting hundreds of events, as well as in education, training and restoration, and inspiring a new generation to enjoy hospitality and the outdoors.”