Chris Eden

The Climb

Precision, sourcing and restraint define the work that carried Chris Eden from Cornish training kitchens into some of the country’s most demanding dining rooms. At St Austell Catering College, he took his first formal steps into the trade, then started on the line as commis chef at Pennypots in Cornwall. From there, the progression was steady: chef at The Lanesborough in London, chef at The Orrery in London, and chef at The Square in London, each stop tightening the standards around technique, timing and consistency. That foundation found fuller expression back west. As Head Chef at Driftwood in Portscatho, Cornwall (2007–2019), Chris Eden became closely linked with a cooking style shaped by Cornish produce and exacting execution. The next move took that same approach to Devon, where he served as Executive Head Chef at Gidleigh Park in Devon (2019–2024), continuing to refine a kitchen language built on clarity, balance and invention. Since 2024, he has been Executive Head Chef at Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall, returning to the region that first set the terms of his career.

Today

Produce-led cooking sits at the centre of Chris Eden’s work as Executive Head Chef at Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The role extends a pattern already visible across his career: kitchens in the South West, a close reading of regional supply, and a preference for control over display. He puts that approach plainly: "I would describe my cooking style as produce driven, by the very best suppliers that I can find in the west country." The line is useful because it tells you exactly where the priorities sit. The cooking is built from ingredients first, with touches of adventure and invention kept in service of flavour rather than used as decoration.

In Their Words “I would describe my cooking style as produce driven, by the very best suppliers that I can find in the west country.”

Recognition

Chris's honors include Michelin star (2012) and Gold award, Taste of the West awards (2019).