Inside Edinburgh's Most Intimate Michelin Starred Restaurant: A conversation with Head Chef Tyler King, Condita
- James Massoud
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
At Condita, one of Edinburgh’s most intimate Michelin starred restaurants, Chef Tyler King is quietly pushing the tasting menu format in bold new directions. Rooted in the exceptional produce of Scotland and inspired by techniques from around the world, his cooking blends fermentation, preservation and unexpected flavour pairings to create dishes that surprise as much as they satisfy.
In this interview with The Knife, King discusses the creative process behind Condita’s evolving menu, the importance of the Scottish larder, and why connection between chef and diner remains central to the restaurant’s experience.
How have you made Condita your own while respecting its foundations?
When I took the job at Condita my intention and approach wasn’t to come in and try to change everything. It was to build on the success they’d had over the previous five years, whilst also putting my mark on it. I have total creative freedom in the kitchen, which allows me to fully express myself through the food, as the owners do through the wines and the décor. We’re all aligned with each other, so it naturally works in perfect harmony.
What defines your cooking style today, and how has it evolved since taking over the kitchen?
I wouldn’t say that anything in particular defines my cooking style, as it’s always evolving. We are constantly working on new ideas in the kitchen. In saying that, there is a lot of focus on preservation and fermentation. Over my time here I think the food has evolved a lot, the more comfortable and confident I’ve become. It’s become a lot bolder in terms of flavour profiles and heat levels. I think you’d notice a significant difference from one year to the next due to effort we put in to develop and progress every day.
How does the Scottish larder currently shape the menu at Condita?
It’s no secret that Scotland is home to some of the best produce around the world. We feel very lucky here to have such bounty on our doorstep, so of course it plays an enormous part in what we do. We work very closely with some of the best suppliers in the country, who have the same ethos as we do, and we give our guests first class produce throughout the whole year.
What role do foraging and preservation play in your dishes?
They both play a very big part in our kitchen! We are in constant contact with our foragers to see what’s about and at its best, or if there is anything new and interesting. We’ll then get in an order of quite a lot and preserve it in multiple ways to continue to build our larder. This gives us such great options when it comes to dish development.
How do you balance classical technique with wider global influences while staying rooted in place?
The main focus for us is always on the local produce, this is what roots us. Especially as we source a lot from where I grew up in the East Neuk of Fife, which we use combined with different techniques from all over the world to enhance the product. Our focus is very much on quality, so we are always searching for the best; be it lemons from Amalfi, white kombu from Japan or pepper from Kampot, or kinome leaves from our garden.
What’s your creative process when building a surprise tasting menu?
Firstly, I develop the menu dish by dish, so each dish has our full focus in the trial stage and once complete, see where it will fit within the menu. I’m drawn towards complexity in dishes and combining flavours that you wouldn’t normally associate with each other and finding a way to balance them. As much as a dish has to be flavourful, for me it must be as equally interesting. Different levels of heat running throughout the menu in variant forms is important for the cooking here as well. Once we have a solid base for a dish, it then comes down to refinement and finishing touches, which is when I usually head for our preserves and ferments, as there’s almost always something in there that fits exactly the flavour profile that I believe the dish needs.
How do you decide on progression, pacing and restraint across a meal?
It is a big benefit of having a set menu. Being able to fine tune the menu as a whole ensures the guest gets the optimal experience. Generally, it comes down to dish placement throughout the meal and which dishes follow which, as well as a steady balance. Just as you would balance a dish, you also need to balance the menu as a whole. Just as much thought and care goes into creating a dish as it does to menu placement and balance.
How does Condita’s intimate size influence plating and presentation?
I wouldn’t say the size particularly influences the presentation, although it does allow us to really focus on the details of plating and timings.
If a dish isn’t quite working, how do you refine it?
That is all part of the trialling stage of dish development. This can go on for as long as the dish dictates. Sometimes even after a couple of weeks of trials the idea/dish ends up thrown out and we are back to the drawing board. More often than not, I come up with an idea and from that it changes however many times I feel necessary, and then once I’m happy with it it’ll find its place on the menu.
How important is interaction between kitchen and diner to the Condita experience?
For me it’s extremely important! I make sure that all the chefs here get out to every table each night, as we believe it adds a lot to the guest experience and the personal touch that runs throughout Condita. Our guests love to know the details and stories and generally have lots of questions. It’s great having the chefs on hand to answer them and allow the guests to decide the depth of knowledge they want to have.
How do you balance visual impact with depth of flavour and meaning?
The foundations will always be there with each dish and that is depth of flavour. I do like to play with visual impact though. Sometimes a dish might be very technical and aesthetically elegant, and then follow up with flavours to build on that. Other times the plating will be more unassuming, which can drop the expectation, which then can catch you off guard with the depth of flavour as well as texture and temperatures, to create an element of surprise.
What do you hope guests leave Condita feeling or understanding that they might not elsewhere?
I would hope guests leave feeling like they’ve come across a very unique and special restaurant, and that they’ve experienced some flavours and techniques that are new to them, which they find interesting.
