CHRIS EDEN

Born in Cornwall, raised in St Austell, made in London and returned to make his mark on the Cornish food scene: Chris Eden – the first Cornishman to win a Michelin star in Cornwall – takes the helm as Watergate Bay’s new executive head chef .

Chris cut his cheffing teeth at St Austell College. He’d spend his weekends on the cross-county 909 bus to Newquay’s surf spots with his board in tow, before heading back to the kitchen in the evening. He’s always known that cooking was where his heart lay. “I dreamt of being a chef when I was 11 years old; three decades later, I still wake up every day loving being in the kitchen.”

After honing his craft in London under chefs Phil Howard, Chris Galvin and Paul Gayler, Chris returned to Cornwall to take up a head chef position at the Driftwood on the Roseland peninsula, where he won his first Michelin star. He retained it from 2012 until the end of his tenure, before moving to Devon for his most recent position at Gidleigh Park. Here, he gained a Michelin star in 2023 for the “balanced, harmonious and rewarding” flavours in his dishes.