Knockderry House Hotel, in Cove, is the only Scottish contributor of a recipe to the Great British Cookbook 2014, and the team is delighted to be one of the first businesses in the area to gain a Taste Our Best award – which arrives as Scotland prepares for the Year of Food and Drink 2015.

The recently-launched scheme aims to ensure visitors eating in restaurants, bistros, cafes, and other venues displaying the Taste our Best Award will eat quality ingredients of Scottish provenance but the most fresh seasonal produce.

The award is given to businesses which can demonstrate that at least 40 per cent of the produce highlighted on its menu is from a quality Scottish origin, and arrives as Scotland prepares for the Year of Food and Drink 2015.

Beth McLeod, owner of Knockderry House Hotel and member of Destination Organisation Love Loch Lomond, said: “Taste our Best does not stop at simply awarding a plaque but also offers real feedback to businesses about where they can make a difference and aims to help them identify other potential food producers perhaps yet undiscovered, with the aim of working together.

“If you visit Knockderry for a bite to eat or for dinner, please ask our staff about where our food comes from. We very much hope Taste Our Best will be a great success in helping inform locals and visitors alike about the wonderful variety of high quality Scottish produce on offer, and that our guests and visitors can help us spread the word to give Scotland’s food and drink the recognition it deserves.” Worth almost £14bn, the food and drink industry in Scotland employs 360,000 people. Local Loch Lomond, Clyde Sea Lochs and Trossachs tourism and hospitality businesses are gearing up for the Year of Food and Drink 2015 in a variety of innovative ways.

A recent food and drink event at Ardoch, Gartocharn – supported by destination organisation Love Loch Lomond and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority – offered businesses the chance to learn from other local businesses, case studies from Cornwall and Iceland on how to develop food and drink for visitors, giving local businesses attending plenty of inspiration on how to employ and inform staff and attract visitors through their own food and drink offerings.

Further food and drink events are planned for the destination for 2015.