A CHEF who has enjoyed an illustrious career has returned to his Cornish roots to take on the top job at a new £3m restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
Gavin Edney’s love affair with cooking began in his early teens, when he would use a boat built for him by his grandfather to take the short journey across the river from Polruan to Fowey to go to work.
Twenty-three years later and having enjoyed a host of culinary successes around the country, he has relocated to Newquay following the launch of Restaurant RenMor as the signature dining experience at five-star hotel The Headland.
The newly appointed Executive Head Chef said: “I’ve always been obsessed with cooking. I have fond memories of my gran letting me cook my own breakfast on the stove after a sleepover and attempting to cook dinner for my mum, brother, and sister. I would create an absolute mess at home – mum hated it!”
“Aged 15, I got my first job at Fowey Hall and spent my weekends and school holidays there. My days were spent deboning mackerel, preparing lobsters, shucking oysters and picking crabs. As a young person, I was always looked after by the seniors and I’m still in touch with them today.
During his next role at Talland Bay Hotel, in Looe, Gavin recalls learning the importance of consistency and focusing on minute detail. To begin with, he would spend six hours cutting two litres of Provencal vegetables into small squares - and doing it again and again until the skill was perfected.
Following another two-year spell at Fowey Hall, Gavin landed a job as a Chef de Partie for Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant at top London hotel Claridge’s.
Gavin’s star continued to rise when he was part of the team which took the Olde Bell Inn, in Hurley, from being unlisted to holding five gold stars within 12 months. There he honed his butchery skills and learnt how to manage complex operations. He worked under Warren Geraghty, who would later introduce him to his future mentors at Galvin restaurants and Cliveden House.
He helped brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin to relaunch two restaurants in the five-star Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Edinburgh and he also spent time in their London restaurants, overseeing the opening of Pompadour by Galvin which was awarded AA best new restaurant in 2013.
In 2014, he became Head Chef at Cliveden House in Berkshire. Working closely with Executive Chef Andre Garrett, he was responsible for food development and food operations. This included the newly launched Restaurant Andre Garrett, which earnt numerous accolades and was voted best new restaurant by the Good Food Guide. It was also listed in The Times’ top 20 UK restaurants in its first year.
Most recently before joining The Headland, he spent almost six years as Group Executive Chef for Castlebridge Hospitality, initially working with Mike Robinson, developing and opening The Elder in Bath, The Woodsman in Stratford Upon Avon and The Forge, in Chester.
He took on the entire portfolio and developed and opened Hotel Indigo’s three restaurants and bars, one of which is in Exeter.
The 37-year-old added: “Producing great food is about respecting the past but cooking in the current. I enjoy building dynamic teams with lots of different personalities in the kitchen. Everyone has something to offer and I hope to be an inspiration and support to them all. We love to encourage young people into the industry and we have many fantastic apprentices here.”
“We need to be honest, have core values and stand up for them. I care deeply about my team and I properly listen in order to try and help. We’re always learning.”
Together with his wife Kerry and two young children, Gavin was thrilled to have the opportunity to move back to his beloved county to take up his new role at The Headland.
“We’ve created an experience with Restaurant RenMor. We want to celebrate British cooking and champion British produce, using fantastic local sources from Cornwall wherever possible. In the kitchen there are so many skills to learn, so many processes to follow, but the most important thing is for guests and my team to feel really relaxed.”
To that end, the open kitchen, which has been beautifully designed to sit within the new restaurant, is not just a visual feast for diners.
“As chefs we like to be approachable and accessible. Everyone who dines with us should have an enjoyable experience and if that means talking to us about cooking techniques while we’re working, that’s fine by me. We want them to feel part of what we’re doing. We want to make Restaurant RenMor the best it can be,” said Gavin.
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