The Argyll Hotel is situated on an island that is just one mile by three, which is itself located in one of the last great refuges of nature in Western Europe. This proximity to our environment entails a responsibility to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural wealth of the Hebrides for future generations.
As a business we are committed to minimising our impact upon the environment, and whenever possible fostering greater understanding of appropriate ecological practices. This encompasses the entire range of activities surrounding the hotel’s day to day management, together with its long-term vision and objectives.
Ingrained within our environmental ethos is a firm understanding of community, and the hotel’s social commitments to small island life. Both proprietors live full time on the island. Whenever possible all tenders, produce, and resources are acquired locally.
The Food We Serve
For at least the past 30 years the hotel has had its own organically maintained garden producing fresh produce for the kitchen. Since April 2005 we have been officially organic when we attained our Soil Association certification. Year on year we have managed to expand the range and efficiency of our production for the restaurant’s menu – a few times in spite of the weather ! All the garden’s vegetables and herbs are organically fertilised, weeded, and watered – with the kitchen’s refuse providing superb organic composting materials.
All our eggs are free range, either sourced locally, or from the Argyll mainland according to availability of supply. Our dry goods are sourced from the Glasgow based Greencity Wholefoods, who actively support and promote Fair Trade and organically produced goods. Our teas and coffees are similarly all Fair Trade, organic products. We also buy some of our cheeses from a small traditional organic dairy farmhouse based on Mull, called Sgriob-ruadh. They were awarded a Gold Medal at the Paris Cheese Exhibition.
We are very proud to promote locally reared Scottish meat. Dependent on our supply, we use organic meat from Highland Drover Branded Beef, which supplies pedigree Scottish Highlander cattle, reared, fed and matured organically. Our suppliers are monitored by the RSPCA Freedom Foods Scheme, which guarantees the highest welfare standards possible for all animals. Our Pork is again a completely Scottish enterprise, and whilst we only use our local lamb when it is in season, we actively source Hebridean Black mutton from Iona and Mull. This yields higher returns for local farmers and reduced transportation by using the local Mull slaughterhouse. Our menu always indicates if a dish is prepared from a locally sourced meat.
Fishing is a quintessential part of Hebridean life, and our menus reflect this with our seasonal dependence on seafood. However, we are also aware of the present unsustainability of large-scale commercial over-fishing. We therefore follow the Marine Conservation Society’s recommendations and serve only sustainably fished or organically farmed species of fish & shellfish.
Our Menu and Specials of the Day always indicates if a dish is wholly organic or is prepared from locally sourced products. Please note that our food may contain nuts or nut-derivatives.
