Argyll Exclusive Reviews 

Argyll Exclusives Catered our outdoor party for over 100 people. Michael was always knowledgeable and helpful and worked tirelessly to make it a success. Would recommend for any event.

Mike came over to Castle Stalker to provide a truly amazing four course banquet for a house party of 20 friends. He designed a unique menu of locally sourced game and seafood to fit the location perfectly and both he and his staff worked quietly in the background ( from a very small kitchen ) to provide a delicious and memorable dining experience, topped off by a magnificent meringue dessert reflecting the three peaks of Ben Cruachan. His team cleared and washed all the dishes and left the kitchen absolutely spotless. Highly recommended.

During our recent holiday near Oban we were lucky to have Chef Mike Knowles (Argyll Exclusive) cook a seasonal tasting menu for us to enjoy. Beforehand we exchanged emails so that the menu showcased Argyll but also suited our family. On the evening every one of the courses was prepared, cooked and presented beautifully and the flavours were amazing. This was a very special and unique evening and was the highlight of our holiday. Many thanks to Mike.

We hired Argyll Exclusive for our wedding meal and I can honestly say it was the best food we have ever had. On top of that Michael was so lovely, professional and really friendly. He told us all about the food of each course. Was great that it was locally sourced as well. We can’t wait to organise another trip up here so we can hire him again.

A high quality restaurant experience in my own home made for a very special birthday treat. Exceeded expectation with flavours and range of seasonal ingredients. Presentation beautiful.
A bonus was my immaculate kitchen after Mike cleaned and tidied everything up.

Would not have changed a thing - giving an expert free range to decide the menu highly recommended

Delicious food and presented beautifully, Michael served up an amazing feast, set up, serve and clean up - was a great treat to sit back and have a top restaurant quality meal. Highly recommended and great quality .

Fantastic catering for my mums 50th it was such a special treat for her and the food was a massive hit with the guests.

Was at my friends big birthday party last night and micheal &co cooked and prepared amazing entrees and main course for about 20 in front of us in her kitchen.
It was beautifully presented and tasted amazing.
His impeccably turned out beautiful helpers made sure everybody was looked after ...I didnt know we had such a fantastic local team in our wee town and they left the place spotless amazing night made it even more special by you guys xx

Fantastic experience, really made the party, and all the guests enjoyed interacting with the cooking. Food was first class, super fresh locally sourced ingredients, really interesting flavour combinations we’d never have thought off. Would definitely use Michael again, super organised and cleaned up brilliantly. It was an absolute pleasure and really made the Birthday celebration memorable.

This is the second time we have used Mike at Argyll Exclusive and his standards are just as high!
His attention to detail produces a truly exquisite meal, and his passion for the local produce is wonderful to see.
We booked Argyll Exclusive for 2 evening meals, and an afternoon tea. Each meal was stunningly presented, and the flavours! 🤤

Don’t eat anything that day, as you won’t want to waste a mouthful of Mikes cooking!

We enjoyed a fabulous 5 course meal a few days before Christmas as a holiday party. The menu was superbly balanced and full of exciting, big and local flavours. Tellingly my 75 year old father in law and 13 year old son both remarked that it was the best meal they had tasted. Michael must be doing something right if he can please and cater for such a wide demographic ! Michael himself was full of good ideas, patient as we planned a menu and great company on the night. All the food was of the highest order with personal highlights including a sublime bramble and lime sorbet and a stunning scallop risotto amuse bouche which set the tone for the rest of the meal. The quality of his food at this level of sophistication represents great value for money. Only wish we lived closer. Many thanks, The Wilson family.

Mike is an awesome chef! He sources top local seasonal produce, creates fantastic menus and cooks everything to perfection. The service is top drawer and everything is cleared up at the end of the night. It’s also unbelievably good value. I’ve used Mike twice now and will be calling him again and again in the future. Thanks Mike!

Mike pulled together an amazing menu and put on a great show. The food was out of this world. The whole family was buzzing.

Organising and planning was brilliant. Mike was great with the communication and accommodating of our requests

I would highly recommend and we will be using again in the future

Mike came to cook for us after I proposed to her in GlenCoe. I made arrangements with him a couple of weeks before the date and he put together an amazing menu for us! The kitchen in the lodge we were staying in was so tiny so I have absolutely no idea how he managed to cook such a fantastic menu! The food was amazing and Mike was so excited about the food he was cooking for us, which came across when he described each plate to us.
I would recommend Mike to anyone. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience!
Thankyou!

I ordered a Gluten Free French afternoon tea for two for my partners birthday. It was absolutely amazing! The service was fantastic, it was delivered to me and was beautifully presented! The quality was fantastic and it was absolutely delicious! The glazed lemon and vanilla custard tarts were amazing and were definitely our favourites! It was a wonderful selection of savoury and sweet treats. Mike did a fantastic job making everything gluten free and meeting my partners dietary requirements! I would definitely order again! Thank you so much Mike!

Just enjoyed a French themed afternoon tea - it was described as for one but it was plenty for 2 with some saved for later! Delicious, in particular the lemon and vanilla custard tart. Would definitely recommend this 😋

My wife arranged a surprise meal for my birthday (for a party of six) and I couldn't have anticipated just how good the experience was. Mike had been given some general pointers as to foods we liked, and had spent a great deal of time working out his menu. He arrived with an an array of ingredients along with notes and sketches - then proceeded to prepare and serve up 7 courses of superb imaginative dishes. Watching him at work was a highlight. Mike was happy to share his knowledge, and his enthusiasm shone through. A really special treat.

Superb food, brilliantly presented and explained and no washing up!

One word. 'OUTSTANDING'.
First of all, Mike as a person is wonderful, hes very delightful to work with and has a passion for what he does like no other. It's very enjoyable to witness!
We had the pleasure of Mike's 6 course tasting menu and a Cheeseboard for a party of 22 guests. As it was a murder mystery and none of my guests had any dietary needs, we gave him completely free reign of the menu. He even gave us a teaser menu so we could get an idea of flavours without knowing exactly what it was going to be! Wow, we were not disappointed. Every single plate that came out was fantastic, all local produce - even to the chutneys, jams and picked mushrooms that he makes himself!! The attention to detail was phenomenal, to this day my family still talk about it. We are 100% going to use Mike for all of our parties and would highly recommend him to anyone who's looking for a great chef. Even more so if you want the best of local produce!

Superb food created and served with passion. A fantastic way to celebrate a special occasion. There are also none of the related horrors with having to clear up afterwards or coming downstairs the following morning to be confronted by the debris of the previous evening. Thoroughly recommended. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.