A top chef’s career is in tatters after he drunkenly smashed his car into a wall, days after celebrating the launch of his new restaurant at a five-star Perthshire resort.
Simon Kelman was arrested by police less than a week after the grand opening of his fine dining establishment Monadh, at the luxury Dunalastair Hotel Suites in Kinloch Rannoch.
The 31-year-old head chef was seen bleeding from the head and slurring his speech following the smash near the hotel site on May 31.
Kelman appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted driving while three times the legal limit on an unclassified road, near the centre of Kinloch Rannoch.
He has handed in his notice to hotel bosses, telling them it would be impossible to commute to the restaurant from his home in Fife while banned from driving.
New venture
Kelman’s appointment at the hotel was announced with much fanfare.
He was described as the driving force of the new culinary venture, producing a menu inspired by “the land, the sea and the garden.”
He was recruited to the prestigious post, having worked at some of Scotland’s most famous establishments including Howies in Edinburgh and the Macdonald Aviemore Resort.
Fiscal depute Sarah Wilkinson told Perth Sheriff Court the accident happened just before 9pm.
“The Vauxhall Corsa collided with a small wall, having failed to negotiate a corner.
“Members of the public had attended and an ambulance was called.”
She said: “Police officers also attended and saw that the accused had suffered a head injury.
“It was ascertained that he was the driver and it was noticed that he was slurring his words.”
Ms Wilkinson said that Kelman was arrested at 10pm, after failing a breath test.
Isolated incident
Kelman’s defence agent told the court he had been drinking at another hotel that evening, and “stupidly decided to move his car a very short distance.”
He said his client “bitterly regretted” his actions, and stressed that this was an isolated incident.
Sheriff Keith O’Mahoney banned Kelman from driving for 12 months and fined him £500.
The Monadh restaurant was announced as a “fine dining restaurant without the fuss” on the Dunalastair Hotel Suite’s social media accounts on May 27.
The five-star resort, operated by Henley Homes, underwent a multi-million refurbishment in 2017.
