Michelin-Starred Chef Alice Power Is Coming To Number One At The Balmoral
Reunited in the kitchen: Number One’s John Munro and The Black Swan at Oldstead’s Alice Power join forces for one night at The Balmoral.
Number One’s John Munro is reuniting with his former Black Swan at Oldstead colleague Alice Power for a one-off seven-course dinner at The Balmoral.
If your idea of a very good Monday involves seven courses at one of Edinburgh’s best-known restaurants, you might want to keep 28th September free.
Number One at The Balmoral is bringing its Chef Series back for a rather special one-night collaboration, as Head Chef John Munro welcomes Alice Power, Head Chef of Michelin-starred The Black Swan at Oldstead, into his kitchen.
And this isn’t simply a case of putting two impressive chefs together for the evening. There’s a personal connection behind this one.
Before returning to Scotland and taking the helm at Number One, John spent part of his career at The Black Swan in North Yorkshire, an experience he credits with helping to shape the way he cooks today. On 28th September, the two kitchens will come together again for a bespoke seven-course tasting menu.
From Oldstead To Edinburgh
For anyone unfamiliar with The Black Swan, the Michelin-starred restaurant sits in the North York Moors and has built its reputation around a very particular approach to food.
Led by Chef Director Tommy Banks and Head Chef Alice Power, its menus are closely tied to what is growing on the Banks family farm, in its kitchen gardens and in the surrounding countryside. Seasonality isn’t simply a nice addition here; it dictates what ends up on the plate.
It’s an approach that has plenty in common with John’s cooking at Number One, where Scotland’s natural larder takes centre stage.
For one night, the pair will bring those two worlds together, combining Yorkshire influences and The Black Swan’s produce-led approach with Number One’s modern take on Scottish fine dining.
“My time there played a huge role in shaping my approach to cooking and my appreciation for ingredient-led menus,” says John. “Alice is an exceptional chef, and bringing our two kitchens together at Number One creates a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the produce, people and philosophies that connect us.”
Alice agrees: “John’s connection to The Black Swan makes this collaboration particularly meaningful. Both restaurants share a genuine commitment to seasonality, sustainability and allowing exceptional ingredients to shine.”
What’s On The Menu?
That, for now, is being kept under wraps – which is rather part of the fun.
What we do know is that there will be seven courses, with the menu built around the best seasonal Scottish ingredients and drawing on the techniques and cooking styles of both restaurants.
Number One Head Sommelier Matthew O’Donnell will also be choosing wine pairings for the evening.
And there’s no separate event ticket to navigate. The collaboration takes over Number One’s regular dinner service on Monday 28th September, so anyone booking dinner that evening will automatically be served the special menu.
At £150 for seven courses, this is very much an occasion dinner. But for anyone who follows Scotland’s food scene – or simply fancies seeing what happens when one of Yorkshire’s most acclaimed kitchens lands in Edinburgh for the night – it should be an interesting one.
The Details
When: Monday 28th September 2026
Where: Number One at The Balmoral, Edinburgh
Price: £150 per person for seven courses
Booking: Via Number One at The Balmoral or numberone.balmoral@roccofortehotels.com