Friends of the farm
Highland Wagyu aspire to provide “the best beef in the UK” so naturally, it was a perfect pairing for Àclèaf and now sits proudly on our menu
Home to three main lines of Wagyu cattle, husband- and-wife team Mohsin Altajir and Martine Chapman, first bred Highland Wagyu in 2011 and since then, the farm’s ethos of quality, respect and precision has underpinned each decision for the farm and clearly seeps through every aspect of the business, resulting in the much-loved beef that is served proudly on many menus around the UK including ours. With a passion for great quality produce and their love of animals, the duo took the plunge and moved to the Highlands of Scotland. With the simple objective of eating delicious meat themselves at the forefront of their move, little did they know that their passion would soon become what Highland Wagyu is today.
So, what is Wagyu? Wagyu (pronounced ‘wag-you’) is a breed of cattle native to Japan. The word literally means Japanese beef– “wa” means Japanese and “gyu” means beef, and is considered a healthy option due to its high percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid.
Having tee’d up many a time on the finest Scottish golf courses together and with a friendship spanning over a 25 years, Directors of Highland Wagyu, Craig Smith and Mohsin, saw an opportunity to turn the couple’s passion into a way of giving other people the same pleasure– by the way of farming and then bringing that to the plates of great restaurants. Perthshire in Scotland is home to the family farm. The vast, calm and green estate spans over 25,000 acres. Days that are filled with clean, crisp fresh air as the livestock graze on lush greenery, naturally putting on weight and enjoying free roam of the grounds.
Aspiring to be a company who supply “the best beef in the UK”, the type of cattle bred on the farm is of high importance. At Highland Wagyu, they pride themselves on being a fullblood Wagyu breeder. Fullblood Wagyu is it’s purest form, meaning it has never been cross-bred and is the most authentic with Japanese origin.
“This is what we specialise in and the Wagyu of choice for Scott” Craig tells. “The carcass is so big and 83% of that is overlooked, classed as ‘secondary cuts’– we don’t believe that and think that the entirety should be used.”
The mission to produce the best beef in the world, coupled with the couple’s passion for food, but not just food, that of the highest standard of quality, allows them to provide a happy and nurturing environment to the cattle. All of the little elements from the grass they eat, the time they spend outside, the water they drink; giving the cattle everything as good as it can be are all contributing factors within the journey to ensure the unique end taste that is Wagyu. “Martine absolutely loves what she does. On many occasions she is seen kissing the cattle and kindly scratching their backs, like a friend would be helping out a friend.”
Of course, it’s all in the flavour and those unfamiliar with Wagyu wouldn’t know about the silky textures of the prime meat. Craig describes the taste as “like beef, but sweeter. It’s silky and the fat melts on your palate. The marbling through the meat is what gives it a buttery taste. Wagyu is soft and easy to digest over traditional fat, so it’s actually better for you.”
So, how common is it to find Wagyu on a menu? Supplying 67 Michelin restaurants over the country, being the largest producer of Wagyu cattle in the UK, Craig explains that they only sell their meat directly to chefs. “We are selective over who we partner with. Because we have a love for good produce; we want to ensure the cooking process and how it’s served matches that. We want to make sure that the product is looked after and cooked in the right way and served deliciously. We are very fortunate to work with such talented chefs.”
“Within 20 minutes of speaking with Scott, I could tell our values aligned and this was someone that we’d love to work with. His passion for food and great produce was so clear. He loves what he does and that passion is reflected with every detail that’s on the plate. We deliver weekly and have direct contact with Scott. We text often just to make sure the produce arrived and that he’s happy with the delivery, Scott will send back pictures of dishes and any new dishes he’s trialing so we always have that constant communication.”
Àclèaf is about creating special memories and to create that we must work with the best partners, as Craig proudly states “It’s not Wagyu, it’s Highland Wagyu.”
When looking ahead, Craig explains that expansion is not on the cards. “We don’t believe in wastage. Products always evolve as the cattle goes through generations. We utilise every last bit to deliver those moments to people eating our Wagyu. That’s what we want to keep on doing. This Wagyu is a bi product of our belief in the cattle, love of good food and passion for the land and products"