Acorn Awards 2026: Frazer Short, the Leddie

Position Bar and restaurant manager, the Leddie, East Lothian

Age 23

Testimonial Robert Clark, general manager, the Leddie

At just 23, Frazer Short is becoming one of Scotland’s rising front of house talents.

Short started his hospitality career at the age of 16 as a food runner and then took on a number of restaurant and bar roles before joining the opening management team at the Leddie in 2024. Now, as bar and restaurant manager, he manages a team of 10 and oversees front of house operations across the 27-bedroom hotel and 60-cover restaurant.

His key focus has been team development and creating a strong service culture. Short has introduced training programmes and encouraged professional qualifications, with all front of house team members either completing or working towards the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 2. 

He has also played an important role in establishing the Leddie as a year-round destination within the local community, which has increased weekday trade. Alongside this, the business has achieved strong early recognition, including Michelin Bib Gourmand status, two AA rosettes and five-star AA room accreditation. 

Short also understands the value of genuine hospitality moments. During his time behind the bar, he helped reconnect an elderly American guest with a long-lost friend from the village after learning they had lost touch decades earlier. Through local contacts and community knowledge, the pair were reunited during what was likely to be the guest’s final visit to Scotland – an experience that demonstrates that great hospitality is as much about human connection as it is service.

Beyond the hotel, Short has also channelled his creativity into the wider drinks sector, developing a canned cocktail range that achieved sales of more than 10,000 units across over 100 independent bottle shops nationwide.