Chef Nick Nairn demonstrates the benefites of grouse shooting in Scotland

Scottish chef Nick Nairn did a fantastic job of demonstrating the benefits of grouse shooting in Scotland, when he joined a shooting party on a Perthshire estate

Scottish chef Nick Nairn did a fantastic job of demonstrating the benefits of grouse shooting in Scotland, when he joined a shooting party on a Perthshire estate on the first day of the season, the Glorious Twelfth.

After the shoot, which was held at Crieff’s Abercairny Estate and attended by a group of French tourists, the estate staff and the gamekeepers, Nick proved the ‘hill to plate’ credentials of the bird as he left the moor to present a cookery demonstration in Crieff town centre.

Nick commented: “It was fantastic to be out on the moor with a party from France, then move down to Crieff town centre to show the fantastic dishes that can be created with grouse.

“Grouse is a sustainable food that Scotland leads the way on, and I would encourage restaurants and diners to make it a firm favourite on the nation’s menus.”

Reminding us of the ongoing hard work that makes shoots such as this possible, Daniel Parker, factor at Abercairny Estate, said: “The Glorious Twelfth is always the highlight in the calendar, but the reality is that it is a year-round effort from gamekeepers, land managers and estates to keep our moorland vibrant so that it can support a rich range of wildlife not to mention tourism and employment.”

Speaking on behalf of the Gift of Grouse campaign, Tim Baynes added: “Parties will only go out on a moor if there are sufficient numbers of grouse for the season, and even if a shoot does not go ahead, the work and care given to our moorland continues unabated.

“Nick Nairn has shown the wonderful recipes that can be made using grouse and estates are experiencing more and more demand for this sustainable and healthy game produce.”