Famous dinners

Through the decades, many well-known faces have enjoyed the unique culinary experiences at Gleneagles.

From Vivien Leigh and Sir Lawrence Olivier to Sir Sean Connery and John Travolta, generations of diners have tucked into the tastiest treats and finest fare in our restaurants.

During the 1940s, in compliance with rationing, guests were restricted in their culinary choices, with the restaurant’s menus instructing that guests might choose “one dish marked ‘A’ and one marked ‘B’, or alternatively two dishes marked ‘B’ but not more than three courses in all at any one meal”!

Tina Turner at Gleneagles
Jackie Stewart and Sean Connery at Gleneagles

For two of the highest profile events in sport – the 2014 Ryder Cup and the 2019 Solheim Cup – our chefs rose to the challenge of developing menus that could refuel the world’s best golfers. They worked with nutritional experts to create menus that would give the teams the optimal chance of performing at their best, featuring seasonal ingredients renowned for supporting sleep patterns, hydration and recovery.

In 2019, the entire cast and crew of HBO’s Succession – who stayed at Gleneagles for several days to film an episode for the series – enjoyed the culinary delights on offer.

Gleneagles Executive Chef Simon Attridge with Solheim Cup Captain Catriona Matthew

More recently, our chefs were called upon to create a spectacular culinary experience for Dior and their esteemed VIP guests when the iconic French fashion house came to Perthshire to unveil their 2025 Cruise Collection at Drummond Castle. The event paid homage to one that took place at Gleneagles almost 70 years earlier, when Dior graced our Ballroom with 172 haute couture dresses for a special charity fashion show.

Perhaps the most famous dinner of all took place on Wednesday 6 July, 2005, when Queen Elizabeth II hosted a state dinner for heads of government at the G8 Summit.  Cooked by the late great chef, Andrew Fairlie, dinner comprised a starter of Marrbury Smoked Salmon with Roasted Langoustines and Herb Salad; Roast Fillet of Glenearn Lamb with Broad Beans and Peas, Aubergine Caviar and Parmesan Polenta; and Textures of Chocolate.  The wines selected by our sommelier for dinner that evening included a Louis Roederer Quartet NV, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Reisling Spätlese 1995, Masseto 1994 Ornellaia and a Château Climens, Barsac 1990.

During the dinner, The Queen led the singing of ‘Happy Birthday’ for President Bush!

Find out more about our restaurants and bars.

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