Tomás Gormley started his career working at some of Scotland’s most prestigious restaurants, including Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, 21212 and Le Roi Fou. During the first lockdown, he coordinated and managed food production for Scran Academy’s emergency response, facilitating and producing over 1000 meals per day for Edinburgh’s most at risk and vulnerable. Cardinal, his first solo launch, opened in Edinburgh in March 2024.
What’s the closest thing you have to a signature dish:
My cherry smoked lobster, with pink fir potatoes, chives, lime and a smoked lobster bisque.
Describe your style of cuisine in ten words:
Seasonal, bold, precise, playful, rooted, technical, sustainable, expressive, evolving, instinctive.
Best and/or most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten:
Trèsind Studio, Dubai. It’s the first Indian three star in the world, and it was absolutely wild.
Worst/weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten:
The weirdest was probably goat’s brain in Gresca, Barcelona. It was nice but not amazing.
Worst thing you’ve ever cooked:
You’ll have to ask my wife.
What’s the dish that you’re most proud of having cooked:
I cooked colcannon for the Irish consulate’s St Patrick’s day party once, it was during Covid so it was delivered, but still up there.
Favourite ingredient:
Boring answer but probably butter.
Your go-to recipe book:
I find Clare Smyth’s Core book has loads of practical recipes, on the other end of the spectrum I love Black Axe Mangal’s.
What other country’s cuisine really excites and intrigues you?
Currently Portuguese. It’s super diverse and in a strange way lots of similarities to Irish cuisine.
Most you’ve ever paid for a meal:
Abac in Barcelona, three stars, but underwhelming for the price.
Your favourite Scottish chef:
I’ve got a lot of time for Brian Grigor at Eorna.
Favourite chef outside Scotland:
Jan Ostle from Wilsons in Bristol. Great chef, great person.
Who taught you to cook or ignited your passion for food as a youngster:
Hard to say really, I think I always just liked doing things for myself so as soon as I was able to start cooking, I did.
Most important lesson a young chef can learn:
There’s two I’d say. The first one is to take your time and the second is that it’s not that deep, something that can feel like the end of the world in a kitchen isn’t going to ruin your life, just remember to learn from your mistakes and move on.
Culinary mentor – the most important person in your development as a professional chef:
That’s a tricky one, I guess I’ve had a few. My old sous chef Ian Boyd-Thorpe is probably the most influential.
Tomás Gormley. Credit: Stephen-Lister
Best thing about the industry:
The low barrier to entry and the fact that it is still ultimately a meritocracy.
Worst thing about the industry:
It’s under-appreciated by the public and the government.
What’s the biggest sin a chef can commit:
An unsecured chopping board.
What do you eat when you’re at home:
Luckily my wife is an amazing cook and loves doing it so whatever she comes up with is always a winner for me.
Celebrity guest or your perfect dinner party – who would you most like to cook for:
Fin Taylor
What’s your favourite wine?
I’ve been teetotal since before I had the chance to really get into wine.
Your spirit of choice?
We’re using a nice Ogilvy vodka on a dish right now.
Do you play music in the kitchen and, if so, what’s your go-to track or artist:
We do, been listening to a lot of Boy Azooga recently.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be:
Electrician.
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