As executive chef, Jamie Smart will oversee a culinary offering that is said to be deeply rooted in the landscapes, waters and seasons of Knoydart.
Accessible only by boat or on foot, the peninsula offers a remarkable abundance of wild ingredients, including hand-dived shellfish, Atlantic salmon, estate game and botanicals, alongside produce sourced from nearby growers and fishermen.
“Jamie’s approach to cooking aligns perfectly with what Kilchoan Estate represents,” said Edoardo Rossi, executive vice president of Dunton. “His respect for provenance, seasonality and simplicity allows the ingredients of Knoydart to take centre stage. We could not imagine a more fitting chef to help define the culinary identity of the estate.”
Scottish-born Smart has built an impressive CV, having worked at London restaurants St. John, Lyle’s and Brawn, as well as the now-closed Flor and P. Franco.
He has also cooked overseas, most notably leading the kitchen at Auberge de Chassignolles in France’s Auvergne region.
The estate’s inaugural menus will reflect Smart’s restrained, produce-led style and the richness of the local landscape.
Signature dishes will include Kilchoan smoked salmon with juniper and crème fraîche; hand-dived scallops with Knoydart laverbread; game liver parfait with pear and cep toast; grilled venison saddle with carrots and pickled walnut; and apple and beach rosehip galette.
Full menu details have yet to be released, but room rates, starting from £1,100 per night for two guests, will include all meals, wines and spirits, as well as ferry transfers. Additional guests will be charged £300 per night.
Dunton describes itself as a collection of intimate, design-led retreats celebrating place, craft and connection. Its portfolio includes Dunton Hot Springs and Dunton River Camp in Colorado, Lumière by Dunton in Telluride’s Mountain Village, and Pangolin Villa in Mustique.
Cadet was launched in Newington Green in 2022 by wine importers Tom Beattie and Francis Roberts alongside charcutier George Jephson.