The hospitality industry in Scotland has had a tough few years with covid, cost of living and brexit as well as an ongoing conversation about business rates.
Despite this, there are still many new restaurants and bars opening. One of these was ASKR, chef Dan Ashmore’s first restaurant which opened in March under the Dean Banks restaurant group.
Ashmore and Banks have worked together for three years, with Ashmore becoming group executive chef of the Dean Banks restaurant group having been executive chef at the Pompadour in Edinburgh when Banks took over this historic dining room in 2021.
Now, Ashmore has announced he’ll be leaving the Dean Banks restaurant group and subsequently ASKR.
Posting on social media, Ashmore wrote: “All good things must come to an end. After an incredible 3ish years with Dean Banks, the time has come for me to move on to my next adventure.
"We’ve cooked for some incredible guests and in some wonderful places together, opened 6 restaurants in 3 years and achieved 9 rosettes and 4 of those restaurants a space in the Michelin guide as well as many other awards. I look forward to seeing the group continue to grow and will be a keen supporter of them from afar.
“My proudest moment over these past few years has been to watch the young chefs in the group grow to be leaders in their respective kitchens and have the autonomy to make decisions and create wonderful dishes. I’m taking a few weeks off before starting my next chapter that I’m very excited to begin, stay tuned and I’ll keep you posted.”
Ashmore has recently announced that his new role is executive chef at Schloss Roxburghe, starting in November.
He said of this move: "I’m excited to say I’ll be joining the fantastic Schloss Roxburghe as Executive Chef in November.
"Hotels in the countryside have always held a special place in my heart since starting my career at Fishers Baslow, and especially working at the one and only Gleneagles.
"I look forward to putting my stamp on the culinary offering in the iconic property."
On the opening of ASRK, Dan Ashmore said: “I am absolutely still part of the Dean Banks Group and very proudly so. I’ll still be working away in the background helping develop dishes and train staff for the other sites.
“For me it’s a huge plus to still be connected to the group, it’s a scary world out there right now in hospitality and to have partners, especially ones as experienced as Dean is nothing but a benefit for me.
“The fact he’s very keen to make this restaurant about me is such a testament to how selfless he is, I want to make sure people know we’re still very much working together.
“I think it’s a fantastic way to create growth for teams, it can often happen that people reach a ceiling at work and the only way to break that is by moving on. I think this is a very modern well thought out path that benefits everyone involved.
“It can show other team members that it’s absolutely worth digging your heels in and calling the DB group home. I’m incredibly humbled to have been given this opportunity.”
Ashmore has worked in Gleneagles, Waldorf Astoria and for Gordon Ramsay before rising up the ranks in the Dean Banks restaurant group.
In recent months, Banks has been hosting pop-up restaurants at ASKR, including Plaice, serving fresh local seafood.
