Tom and Matilda Tsappis, the husband-and-wife team behind Perthshire restaurant with rooms Killiecrankie House, are today celebrating the award of their first Michelin Star, announced last night at the Michelin Guide Ceremony in Dublin.
Recognition by the world’s leading food guide was described as ‘a powerful endorsement of the vision, dedication and craftsmanship’ of Tom and Matilda and their entire team, who have been building a gilt-edged reputation since the opening of Killiecrankie House in 2021.
This year’s Michelin plaudit comes hot on the heels of Killiecrankie House being named as SLTN’s Restaurant of the Year (Fine Dining) for 2025, presented at the SLTN Awards in Glasgow last November.
From a background in finance, Tom’ Tsappis’ path into gastronomy began during an extended stay in Japan at the age of 23, when necessity led him to cook dishes that reminded him of home.
Having sparked a ‘deep curiosity’ for food and technique – and met half-Japanese Matilda – Tom returned to the UK, and enrolled at Leiths Culinary School, staging at Aquavit and Michael O’Hare’s The Man Behind the Curtain.
Then, alongside Matilda, he launched Elia, a Greek fine-dining supper club that paid homage to his own Greek Cypriot heritage.
Hosted from their East Dulwich flat, the weekend-only supper club revolved around a 12-course tasting menu and quickly amassed a cult following before coming to an end during the pandemic.
Motivated by a desire to pursue hospitality full-time, Tom and Matilda embarked on a road trip across Scotland, which ultimately led them to Killiecrankie House, near Pitlochry, in Highland Perthshire.
Since then, the couple have transformed the historic former 19th-century manse into one of Scotland’s most distinctive restaurant-with-rooms destinations.
Following a comprehensive renovation, Killiecrankie House now offers five elegant guest bedrooms, a relaxed lounge with a curated cookbook library overlooking the kitchen garden, an intimate Art Deco-style cocktail bar seating up to eight guests, and a twelve-cover fine-dining restaurant with an additional chef’s table.
Diners can experience Tom’s ambitious 15–20 course dinner tasting menu or a shorter nine-course lunchtime offering, while co-owner and head sommelier Matilda selects the perfect wines to accompany.
Drawing on Asian techniques, particularly Japanese, the Killiecrankie kitchen is said to present Scotland’s ingredients in a fresh and distinctive style.
Dishes reinterpret modern Scottish cuisine, including miso from green peas and oats, kimchi made with foraged wild garlic, and a Japanese-inspired tofu dish crafted from locally foraged mushrooms and Scottish oats, accompanied by a spicy Asian sauce made using ingredients from Killiecrankie’s kitchen garden.
The Michelin Guide says: “This attractive whitewashed former manse in the Cairngorms National Park has been transformed into a true dining destination with a personality of its own.
“A surprise tasting menu fuses Scottish produce, including some Japanese techniques, enhancing the ingredients to brilliant effect. The house-made oat tofu is a prime example, served with a lip-smacking fermented cream sauce with broad beans and chilli.’’
Reacting to last night’s news, the Tsappis said: “Being awarded a Michelin Star is completely overwhelming and something we truly didn’t expect this year.
“Since entering The Michelin Guide in 2022, we’ve simply focused on doing the very best we can, taking our time and staying true to our values.
“This recognition means more to us than we can put into words, particularly given the challenges faced by the industry in recent years. We’re incredibly proud of our team; this achievement belongs to every single person who has supported us and believed in what we’re building here.
“Killiecrankie House is deeply rooted in its surroundings and our sense of belonging to this place, and to see that recognised at this level is an unforgettable moment for us.”
