Tony Conboy, Athenaeum chef, with grouse for London

Aug. 08, 1978 - The race for the first grouse - top Chefs shoot their own birds and fly them to the oven: Four top chefs from London and Scotland today joined in the first shoot of The Glorious Twelfth'. Chef Anthony Conboy, 38, of the Athenaeum Hotel, and chef Turner, of the Capital Hotel, flew up to Gleaneagles by courtesy of British Caledonian and Grouse whisky distillers Matthew Gloag where, together with chef Cottet of Gleneagles Hotel and chef Cameron of Glasgow's Malmaison restaurant, they were invited to shoot their first grouse. Shortly after daybreak, with gillies, beaters and loaders, they were at the Kinell Estate in Perthshire, ready to bag their first grouse. There was only time to get their first birds in the bag because they were competing with each other to get back to their kitchens and be the first to serve their evening customers. The London chefs were helicoptered back to Gleneagles, driven to Edinburgh by fast car to the waiting British Caledonian aircraft for their flight back to Gatwick, followed by a dash to Piccadilly and Basil Street and the preparation of the grouse which, together with accompanying nips of Gloag's Grouse whisky, was enjoyed by among other diners Joe Lewis star of Jaguar Lives and a friend Jenny Lomas. Photo shows Chef Anthony Conboy dashes out of the British Caledonian plane with his precious grouse, ready for the run into London

Restrictions Only for United Kingdom

Accompanying Athenaeum Beaters Caledonian Chef Chefs Competing Conboy Cottet Customers Dash Dashes Daybreak Diners Distillers Driven Enjoyed Flew Followed Gatwick Gillies Glasgows Gleneagles Gloag Glorious Grouse Invited Jaguar Joined Kitchens Loaders Lomas Malmaison Nips Oven Perthshire Piccadilly Serve Shortly Twelfth Whisky

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