Tributes paid to Glasgow hotelier Ken McCulloch who put the city 'on the map'

Tributes have been paid to Ken McCulloch who 'put Glasgow on the map' following his death aged 76.

The hotelier, born in 1948, started his career with British Transport Hotels as a young commis chef before working in the kitchens at The Malmaison in Glasgow’s Central Hotel before moving on to Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire.

After a short period with Stakis Hotels, he stepped out on his own and opened La Bonne Auberge, a wine-bar in the Park Circus area of Glasgow, before making his way to Royal Exchange Square, where he opened the Charlie Parker’s bar and restaurant.

READ MORE: Rangers legend Ally McCoist has incurable hand condition causing fingers to bend inwards

READ MORE: Glasgow IKEA offers Christmas deal meaning you can get tree for under a tenner

In 1996, he made the city a global destination after opening One Devonshire Gardens, which at the time was the first boutique hotel, with award wining interior designer wife Amanda Rosa. It was said to be the 'the most luxurious hotel in Scotland' and featured Head Chef Andrew Fairlie who gained the hotels first Michelin star in 1996.

McCulloch would go on to create the Malmaison Hotel Group, whose first hotel opened in Edinburgh in 1994. He would sell the business four years later and move to Monaco where he bought the Abela Hotel, later Columbus Hotel, with racing driver David Coultard.

He and Amanda then created Dakota Hotels, launching the now successful hotel group in 2004 before returning home to Glasgow in 2009.

McCulloch once said that the best advice he ever received was from Fernand Point, chef of the Michelin-starred Le Pyramide near Lyon: “success is the sum of many small things correctly done”.

Sign up to our daily Glasgow Live newsletter here to receive news and features direct to your inbox

Join Glasgow Live's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.