A trio of burst pipes flooded celebrity chef Nick Nairn’s Perthshire cook school before Good Samaritans and a local plumber came to the rescue.
The Nick Nairn Cookschool at Port of Menteith, near Callander, was 10cm under water when the chef arrived on Monday with wife and business partner Julia.
The cooking academy, which Nick has run for two decades, is currently closed due to lockdown restrictions, and the Stirling-born TV personality has been keeping busy after introducing a takeaway service and filming his At Home With The Nairns clips.
Sepa had issued flood alerts across much of Scotland as meteorologists had forecast a rapid thaw of last week’s snow, but it was a plumbing break which caused the kitchen deluge.
The 62-year-old posted photographs of the carnage on social media, showing industrial ovens with their casters almost submerged in water.
Nick admitted it was the last thing he needed but said it “could have been much worse.”
“What a day,” he said. “Burst pipe and flood at the cook school, spent the afternoon bailing out water.
“Our local, friendly superhero plumber saved the day – thank you sir! We have water and we are grateful.”
The TV chef, who also runs Nicks in Bridge of Allan and the Kailyard Restaurant at Dunblane Hydro, teamed up with local tradespeople to clear the water.
He said: “I said to Julia, ‘let’s take a trip over to check that all is well with the cook school.’
“Just as well we did, I sure do know how to give a gal a good time. This taken after an hour of bailing out.
Nick added: “Blessed are the emergency plumbers. We are nearly there. Huge shout to Forbo Flooring UK.
“Marmoleum kitchen floor went down in 2004 and after 24 hours covered up with four inches of water, it’s coming up like new. Laundry might be insurance job.
“Also Julie, not the day you were planning I know, but we are formidable at the mopping up. Thanks so much… I owe you.
“A huge thanks to everyone for your kind messages regarding our flood.
“It could have been so much worse if we hadn’t found it so quickly. Big clean up [on Tuesday]. Cannot wait to get back to work, had enough now.”
