Meldrum House in Aberdeenshire is to open a new signature restaurant, Seton’s, this September as the historic hotel continues its transformation under Monogram Collective.
The restaurant will be led by newly appointed Head Chef Ross Bott alongside Tom Scade, Group Executive Chef for Monogram Collective. Both appointments are reflected in the group’s current leadership structure.
Seton’s takes its name from the Seton family, whose association with the Meldrum estate dates to the 15th century.
Elizabeth Meldrum’s marriage to William Seton brought the estate into the Seton family, which retained ownership for seven generations before it subsequently passed to the Urquharts.
The restaurant represents the latest stage of investment at Meldrum House following refurbishment of its Manor House bedrooms and Drawing Room.
Meldrum House forms part of Monogram Collective alongside Pine Trees in Pitlochry and The Vineyard in Berkshire. The collection positions each property around its individual heritage and surrounding landscape.
Seton’s menu will focus on seasonal ingredients from Aberdeenshire and the wider Scottish larder, working with farmers, fishermen, growers and artisan producers.
The approach builds on Meldrum House’s existing restaurant positioning, which centres its menus on seasonal dishes inspired by the natural produce of Aberdeenshire.
Seafood will feature prominently, with planned dishes including Half Scottish Lobster, Scottish Dressed Crab and Oban Oysters baked with bacon and Meldrum whisky.
Sharing dishes will include Rumbledethumps baked into a pie and an Aberdeen Angus and Wasp’s Stout pie.
The meat offer will feature Purebred Aberdeen Angus supplied by Callum Chalmers, while the restaurant will also work with local producers including Presly & Co in Oldmeldrum and Barra Farm.
Presly & Co is an established butcher based on Market Square in Oldmeldrum, close to the hotel.
A bespoke Oldmeldrum sausage will be served with mash and onion gravy, while menus will continue to change according to seasonal availability.
Bott joins Meldrum House following a career spanning hotels, restaurants and private dining.
His previous positions include Monachyle Mhor in Perthshire, Château La Chaire in Jersey and The Europe Hotel & Resort in Killarney, alongside experience at The Grove and Hawkyns under Atul Kochhar.
Bott said: “Growing up in the countryside and around farms is where my love of food first began. From an early age, I learned the value of great local produce and the hard work that goes into producing it.
“For me, if you have the right ingredients, the food can do all the talking.
“Aberdeenshire is a unique place – it has the close-knit feel of a small town while being surrounded by some of Scotland’s best farming communities.
“I’m passionate about working with local suppliers and showcasing the incredible quality and provenance that the region has to offer.”
Bott will work alongside Scade, whose group-wide remit covers the culinary direction of Meldrum House, Pine Trees and The Vineyard.
Scade’s background includes training under John Williams MBE at The Ritz London, alongside positions at Langan’s Coq D’Or and with chef Martin Blunos.
His approach across Monogram Collective centres on seasonality, provenance and ingredient-led cooking. The same philosophy is also being used to develop the food and beverage offer at The Vineyard as it undergoes its own major transformation.
Meldrum House sits within 240 acres of Aberdeenshire countryside and comprises 51 bedrooms alongside its golf course, dining facilities and historic Cave Bar.
The estate’s recorded history stretches back more than 800 years, while sections of the property and its surrounding buildings reflect centuries of development under the Meldrum, Seton and Urquhart families.
Seton’s will open at Meldrum House in September 2026, with the restaurant intended to establish food and drink as a central part of the hotel’s next phase under Monogram Collective.
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