Before Maison Castanié.
Maison Castanié is named for our family but it began long before we found a steading at Milton of Crathes.
Marc was born in Millau, a small town in the south of France close to the caves of Roquefort, where his grandmother Mamie and his wider family still live. At three, he moved to Dundee; at fifteen, to Aberdeen. He studied graphic design at college before falling - happily - into retail. Fourteen years as manager of Attic Clothing in Aberdeen taught him the value of quality and provenance, good, slow conversation, and the pleasure of less-is-more (he still wears clothes he bought a decade ago; he's now forty-two). Eight years at Jamieson & Carry followed, training with houses like Rolex and Patek Philippe, deepening his eye for craftsmanship and the stories behind beautifully made things. He's the one who'll spend six months researching the right coffee machine.
Claire grew up obsessed with food. There are photos of her at five, glued to cookery shows on television - no one else in the family shared the obsession. She studied business and marketing, then spent years in hospitality, managing the Aberdeen nightclub Snafu and its sister bar the Athenaeum - where she and Marc first met. Marketing followed: years working with fashion, spirits and luxury whisky brands, taking her into some of the best restaurants and hotels in the world (and a memorable project working hand in hand with Massimo Bottura). She holds a WSET in spirits, studied wine, took a short course at Le Cordon Bleu, and is halfway through a nutrition course. Food, drink and hospitality run through her.
After more than a decade in Glasgow, Claire moved home to Aberdeen. When their son Raphie was born in 2023, she found herself craving a slower pace - fewer rushed days, more time to cook, to garden, to exercise, to just be.
Our family today.
Marc and Claire married in October 2025 and share a home in Aberdeen with Raphie, and Gabriel (Marc's elder son) every other weekend. Family, friends near and far, slow weekends, the oven, a good glass of wine, the garden.
Maison Castanié had been Marc's dream for years - he once imagined a city-centre shop. Then, days after the wedding, we stumbled upon a gorgeous empty unit at Milton of Crathes, on a still afternoon by the river. Our shoulders dropped. We just knew. And had a big if not now, when, moment.
This is the next chapter for our family. A place to share what we love most - beautifully made things, well-fed mornings, slow afternoons - with the community we hope to build around it.
