The View cafe at RSPB Loch Leven been given a top foodie award.  Louise Cullen stopped by the reserve to find out more. Scroll to the bottom for one of Chef Douglas Rutherford's favourite recipes.

Gold standard grub at RSPB Loch Leven

The Gold Food for Life Catering Mark from the Soil Association basically means that the cafe serves freshly prepared, homemade food using local, mostly organic, produce which is free from harmful additives and is better for animal welfare too.

The View Cafe at RSPB Loch Leven

However, Loch Leven goes much further than that to set itself apart; and it’s the RSPB staff that really add that extra sparkle to this cafe. They’re all so welcoming and friendly that at first you think the customers in there must visit every day! Everyone’s chatting and joking together, and Douglas Rutherford, who’s the catering manager, is often seen scooting out from behind the counter to help identify the birds customers are pointing out through the huge windows that give such a superb view of the reserve (hence the name of the cafe you see).

It certainly helps that they have some fantastic food to fill the tummies of hungry visitors too though of course! Everything from homemade soups and paninis, to freshly baked cakes and scones, all washed down with a warming mug of coffee. For lunch, I went for a toasted panini with hummus, tomatoes, and a chilli dressing and it was fab.

So in between stuffing myself with all the tasty treats on offer, I did find some time to sit down and chat with Douglas about the cafe and their new gold standard.

Catering manager, Douglas Rutherford, at RSPB Loch Leven

So what was your first thought when you found out you’d been awarded the Gold Food for Life Catering Mark?

“Hallelujah!! I was actually really relieved because we received the bronze catering mark from the Soil Association last year, which was great, but I was a little worried we would get the same again this year. I’m absolutely delighted that we got gold this time though, and to be the first visitor attraction in Scotland to reach that standard makes it extra special.“

What’s your inspiration to work so hard?

“The environment is something I’m passionate about and it’s amazing the effect food production can have on the world out there, so to me it’s a no brainer that all our products should be as ethical as possible. I also like to be quite adventurous with food and often try out some of my own recipes and that keeps things interesting. There’s a lot of bland food being served up out there and that’s not how we want to do things here. Every mouthful of a meal should be a little different than the last. Who knows, if you experiment and be a bit more creative you might end up with a dish that’s even better than the one you were aiming for in the first place! But the main thing is when customers come up and tell you they love your food; that really makes me want to keep doing a good job.”

So what’s the favourite for customers then out of all the food you sell?

“Oh you always conquer people with sweet things, so our cakes and scones in particular are a hit. In fact me and my colleague Lynn have ended up in a bit of a competition over those scones. We’ll often take turns in making them, and our customers aren’t shy about telling us if they like something so we’re always trying to out-do each other to make the best ones.”

Finally, what tips do you have for anyone looking to be a bit more ethical about their cooking at home?

“You shouldn’t try and do it all at once. Just bring it in gradually to the meals you’d usually make. Next time you’re baking a cake for example, pick up some organic flour or see if you can source the eggs locally. Over time you’ll build it up.”

Some of those oh-so-famous scones, fresh from the oven!

Douglas was kind enough to share one of his own recipes with me while I was visiting and says it’s pretty popular at this time of year, so I’ll share it with you too! It’s for a delicious summer salad. It’s easy to make and doesn’t require many ingredients either, in fact you’ll probably have them in the house already.

All you need is:

  • Wholemeal couscous
  • Soaked sultanas
  • Oranges
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper 

So first of all you want to cook the couscous. Most packs will come with their own specific instructions but usually you pop the amount you want into a pan and pour over boiling water until it’s just covering the couscous and no more – you don’t want it to turn gloopy! Add a splash of olive oil, some salt and pepper to season – then cook until the water is absorbed. Usually it’ll only take ten minutes or so but again, specific timings will be included on the pack you have.

While the couscous is cooking away, zest one of your oranges, then peel and roughly chop the others. It’s really up to you how many oranges you add, but less is generally more with this recipe – you don’t want to overdo it! When the couscous is done, mix through the orange chunks and zest as well as the sultanas (again add as many or as few as you like).

This recipe pairs perfectly with a mixed bean salad and some hummus for lunch or with a lovely filet of oven-baked salmon for a super healthy dinner. Happy cooking!

To learn more about RSPB Loch Leven follow this link: www.rspb.org.uk/lochleven