Riverbank Restaurant hosts iconic Burns Night

Stafford College’s Riverbank restaurant hosted an evening of celebration for Burns Night this week, where our catering students prepared Scottish themed dishes, including neeps, tatties and of course, haggis!

First celebrated in July 1801, friends of the late Scottish poet Robert Burns, came together to celebrate the fifth anniversary of his death and having enjoyed the evening in his memory so much, they made it into an annual event.

On what is always a highly anticipated evening on the restaurant’s event calendar, hospitality students worked hard to prepare the restaurant for service as they offered customers the very best fine dining experience to celebrate the annual Scottish holiday.

Guests were serenaded by a traditional bagpiper who filled the restaurant with the sounds of the Scottish highlands as the star attraction of the Burns supper arrived. As is tradition, the piper led in the haggis as patrons watched on, enjoying a wee dram of whiskey.

On the set menu, which was priced at £30 per head, was a homemade honey oat bread, smoked salmon, crab salad, avocado, fennel and apple followed by a traditional haggis with neeps and tatties. Alternatively, guests could opt for a beef fillet served with haggis arancini, potato pave, parsley root puree with a whiskey jus or a pre-booked vegetarian option was also available.

To finish, guests were served a Cranachan. This whiskey, honey parfait, oat truffle sweet is widely regarded as 'the uncontested king of Scottish desserts’ and was the perfect way to end a great evening celebrating the wonderfulness of Scottish culture and Robert Burns.

Richard Allan, catering lecturer, said: “The evening was a huge success and the feedback we had from patrons about the menu and our students was outstanding. This was the first time in eight years we were able to book at bagpiper so it was a really special evening and we can't wait to do it all again on January 30."

Customer Rosslyn Smith left a 5/5 review of the evening, which read: "The Burns night menu was fantastic, beautifully presented and thoroughly enjoyed by us. We would definitely recommend anyone to visit the Riverbank Restaurant and support the hard working students for any occasion."

Similarly, a review left by Mrs Hutchinson, read: "Fabulous evening as usual, we were a group of 10, and we are all in agreement. Great food, great service and incredibly good value. Have booked for more evenings."

To experience an evening at the Riverbank Restaurant, please book here.