Sam Yorke and Tomás Gormley, have been awarded a coveted Michelin star for their first restaurant, Heron in Leith. Aged just 25 and 28 years old, the pair are the youngest chefs in Scotland to receive a Michelin star for their restaurant having also opened their second venue, Skua, a wine and small plates bar, in Stockbridge last month.
They first joined forces as head chefs with a pop-up at-home fine dining experience, Bad Seeds, during covid which was a sell-out each week. Yorke and Gormley met when they were both working at Seasons which was included in the Michelin Guide.
Tomás has an impressive background working across some of the country’s best loved restaurants including Le Roi Fou, two-star Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles and 21212, when it held its Michelin star.
Sam Yorke trained at the Edinburgh New Town Cooking School before working at the much applauded Castle Terrace, where he graduated from commis to sous chef in less than two years under the guidance of chef Dominic Jack. Sam views chef Dominic as an inspiring mentor and credits him as having taught, ‘proper cooking with classic technique and great attention to detail’. Sam was recently named in The Code 30 under 30 class for 2023/24 as one of the most exciting young chefs in the UK.
Tomás and Sam offer an a la carte and tasting menu championing the best of each season, with dishes on their most recent tasting menu including hand-dived Orkney scallops marinated in garum and topped with blood orange and radish; Hopetoun Estate venison, beetroot, grape and rhubarb, almond and tarragon.
On their win Sam said, “To say that I’m delighted would be an understatement. It means a great deal to be recognised by such a prestigious organisation for our work at Heron. It’s a real testament to the unwavering focus and dedication of the entire team, without whom we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
Tomas added, “If you had asked me two years ago, when Sam and I sat down to start planning our pop-up Bad Seeds, I would never have imagined this happening. This is a huge achievement for everyone, and I am so grateful that we get to go on this journey with them.”
Edinburgh now has 5 Michelin star restaurants, with 3 of these in Leith and it means that Leith has the highest concentration of Michelin star restaurants per square metre outside of London, making it a foodie capital for the UK.