After winning National Chef of the Year 2025, Danny Young continues onwards and upwards at his new home, The Torridon, a five-star boutique hotel and event venue in the Scottish Highlands.
Working as a chef in a Michelin-starred restaurant wasn’t Danny Young’s first choice of career: “I was going to go in the forces as a chef but didn’t pass some of the tests – I was only 15 and a half at the time.” What seemed like a setback turned into opportunity when, on the same day he received the rejection, an apprenticeship opened up at Northcote in the Ribble Valley.
He spent 13 years there, working his way through every section and eventually becoming head chef. Along the way, he won Northwest Young Chef of the Year, Young National Chef of the Year 2018, and earned an Acorn Award: “I worked my way around the group – it’s gastro pubs and football clubs – so I’d done all sectors. It gave me a real grounding in what I wanted to do.”
When an opportunity arose at The Torridon, Danny was able to make the transition into fine dining. Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, the five-star hotel offered the chance to oversee two very different dining concepts under one roof: “We’ve got the three AA Rosette 1887 restaurant, which is fine dining with a tasting menu, and then Bo & Muc Brasserie for à la carte. It gives you real consistency – you can push the fine dining as far as you want to go.”
After settling into The Torridon, Danny returned to National Chef of the Year and this time, he won: “I’d competed the year before and only came in the top 10. I felt I hadn’t performed to my full potential. Over that 12-month period at Torridon, I really found my style of food – what I wanted to cook for myself and for the guests. The judges said they could definitely see the evolution.”
Danny and his team at The Torridon regularly cater for a broad range of events, from intimate corporate retreats and team building experiences to high-profile product launches and full exclusive-use buyouts. They’ve welcomed luxury automotive brands including Ferrari and McLaren, hosted cruise lunches for Hebridean Princess, and worked with lifestyle and beauty brands such as Lyle & Scott and Garnier. During the summer months, they also cater for Back-Roads walking groups, creating nourishing, seasonal menus tailored to guests returning from days spent exploring the Highlands.
When it comes to events and corporate catering, Danny takes a pragmatic approach: “A lot of chefs try to do too much when it comes to events and it becomes a nightmare. I try and keep it clean, simple, and tasty – three or four elements, just to get the flavours out there.”
Menus for corporate events often feature the signature Highland venison paired with seasonal accompaniments alongside dishes such as hand-dived scallop with yuzu and caviar: “Produce from our kitchen garden plays a starring role across the menu, from freshly picked herbs to heritage vegetables, allowing us to showcase the best of the local larder in a way that feels elegant yet unpretentious.”
The Torridon’s culinary offering is rooted in a strong sense of place. Every menu is bespoke and designed specifically around the brief, the season, and the surrounding landscape: “We work closely with local farmers, fishermen, and foragers, as well as our own kitchen garden, to create dishes that feel both refined and deeply connected to the Highlands.”
Danny has clear ambitions for the future: “I want to try and get the restaurant to a point where people come to the Highlands for the food, not just because we’ve got an amazing hotel. That’s the goal – to be part of something that puts The Torridon on the map as a culinary destination.”