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Working as a chef in a fine-dining restaurant presents many challenges. The hours are antisocial, and the kitchens can be stiflingly hot.

Being lonely, however, is not a challenge many chefs face.

This is for the simple reason that just about every fine-dining kitchen in the world relies on the labour of several – or numerous – employees to operate effectively.

The August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts estimates that an average 50-cover fine-dining restaurant has six back-of-house staff working together during service.

That said, there are numerous restaurants that employ more than this number. At its peak, famed Spanish restaurant El Bulli was said to have 45 chefs working in the kitchen at any one time.

This makes Garry Watson’s way of working all the more unique.

As opposed to working alongside a team of kitchen porters, commis chefs and line cooks, Garry – who is the chef and owner of celebrated fine-dining spot Gordon’s Restaurant in Inverkeilor – works completely alone.

Like many chefs working in the industry, Garry’s father Gordan was a chef. (He was the one who founded Gordon’s Restaurant nearly 40 years ago.)

After “growing up in a family restaurant” Garry decided that he wished to follow in his father’s footsteps by studying professional cookery at Dundee College in 1993.

During and after his course, Garry worked alongside his father at Gordon’s Restaurant while his mother Maria ran the front of house (as she does to this day).

However, things changed in 2016 when Garry’s father suddenly fell ill.

“I had no choice but to take on the responsibility alone,” Garry tells me. He adds: “During that time, I developed a solo system.”

Sadly, Gordon passed away six months later, and Garry – rather than hire someone else – stuck with his solo system. He has continued manning the kitchen by himself for almost 10 years.

“I personally cook everything on the menu from scratch,” Garry confirms.

This is no mean feat, especially considering that the dishes which make up Gordon’s eight-course, £100 tasting menu are known for having multiple elements.

A portion of duck, for example, comes with both pickled walnuts and a beetroot meringue while a dessert might include everything from homemade ice cream to a red wine-poached pear.

“The work can be extremely demanding and challenging. My daily workload and preparation list are significantly longer,” Garry concedes.

“You’re only as good as your last dinner service, and the restaurant’s reputation rests squarely on my shoulders.”

Although it might be unconventional, Garry’s system clearly works.

Gordon’s Restaurant in Inverkeilor has been awarded three AA rosettes for culinary excellence for 14 consecutive years. The restaurant has also been named in the Michelin Guide where it is described as a “long-standing, passionately run restaurant”.

Garry explains that the rosettes and other awards are a “tremendous honour” and suggests that his unusual system has helped him to continue impressing the judges year after year.

“I can make decisions and implement changes quickly, allowing me to work on my own terms without needing to consult other team members,” he explains.

One way he impresses the judges – who visit anonymously – is by frequently changing and developing his menu. And, despite working alone and in the same location for numerous years, Garry clearly has numerous sources of inspiration.

He names travelling to different countries and eating in a range of restaurants as two of these along with attending industry events such as chef meetings and conferences.

“Many of my close friends are chefs and restaurateurs,” he says, “and we share ideas, recipes, and trends—we help each other. The internet is also a fantastic resource these days.”

That said, Garry continues to draw inspiration from the nearby area.

“I love Angus; it’s a beautiful county with an abundance of wonderful local produce,” he tells me before adding: “I believe there is no better place for a destination restaurant with rooms in Scotland!”

Despite the restaurant’s success, Garry has no hesitation in describing how difficult life can be as a chef, especially when you work alone.

“Beyond the glitz of reality TV, working in a professional kitchen is one of the toughest jobs around,” he says.

“Working over a hot stove on a Saturday night is anything but glamorous.”

“That said, being a chef is undeniably brilliant! It’s a demanding and stressful job, but it’s also fun, creative, and incredibly rewarding. I wouldn’t want to do anything else!”

Given the rave reviews Gordon’s Restaurant has received in recent years, those set to visit Angus in the future will be glad to hear it.

This article appeared in The Courier on 6 November 2025