Pastry chef Aaron Neave may have turned down a job with Gordon Ramsay, but he’s now reaping the rewards in his beloved Laurencekirk.
From cookery training at the five-star Gleneagles Hotel, to dishing up for the Queen, Aaron’s path towards cooking superstardom looked well in sight.
But after taking time out of hospitality to work in oil and gas over a decade ago, he quickly doubled back and realised that life out of the kitchen wasn’t for him.
He now heads Gannets restaurant in Laurencekirk with his wife Kirsty, after having a vibrant career in the hospitality industry.
Afternoon teas have been the business’s signature offering since its inception three years ago, but it has also earned a reputation for its monstrous club sandwiches that leave little room for evening dinner.
Adapting to a takeaway service has also shown the resoluteness of the restaurant during the pandemic, and with brighter days ahead, Gannets’s hunger for growth is impressive.
“We have always felt fortunate to have a business which was allowed to remain open throughout all of the restrictions,” says Aaron.
“It has been a challenge at times to continue to be innovative and keep our customers engaged but they have supported us in whatever way they can – we couldn’t have asked for more.”
Five-star cookery
Having loved cooking with his mum, Mary, from a young age, Aaron decided to take up professional cookery at college which opened up an array of opportunities for him.
In fact, so good were these opportunities that Aaron decided to turn down a position from none other than Gordon Ramsay.
“My HNC in Professional Cookery at Angus College allowed me to cook for Her Majesty The Queen and demonstrate at The Good Food Show, where I was lucky enough to meet Gordon Ramsay,” says Aaron
“Meeting Chef Ramsay led to a trial at The Savoy Grill in London, and I was offered a position in the pastry kitchen.
“But in the end, I decided to stay closer to home and continue my training at Scotland’s only five-star hotel at the time in Gleneagles.
“I learned from some of the best chefs around, extending my pastry skills and learning how to bake breads – my time there was like no other.”
Change of path
Aaron proceeded to work in a handful of local restaurants after Gleneagles, but as time ticked on, there came a point when the industry took its toll on him.
“I left the hospitality sector in late 2008 due to the long hours, the less than savoury income and limited social life of being a chef,” Aaron says.
“I guess I had a period of questioning as to whether cooking was for me.
“All of my family worked in oil and gas, so it just seemed like a natural shift to work in the industry – but I soon learned the grass is not always greener on the other side.”
Aaron’s career change into oil and gas, he later admits, just “was not for [him].” Yet, his calling for cooking, as he soon discovered, was never far away.
“I was offered a job offshore as a night cook baker which gave me the right work/life balance without the unsociable hours that came as part and parcel of being a chef,” he says.
“I can honestly say that I probably wouldn’t be able to run a business without this experience.
“I worked offshore for almost nine years and that’s when Gannets initially started as a bit of a hobby.”
Taking the plunge
Aaron’s hobby whilst he was home from offshore saw him operating an afternoon tea delivery service, complete with vintage crockery, tableware and food, which proved to be a hit.
“I missed the finer detail of being a proper pastry chef,” he explains, “and at the time this met that need.”
Now, Gannets has its own premises in Laurencekirk after Aaron took the plunge, quit his offshore job and set up shop three years ago.
Aside from afternoon teas, club sandwiches and a wide range homemade bakes – utilising Aaron’s pastry chef experience – are some of Gannets’s most popular offerings, with everything being made by scratch on the premises each day.
However, like any new business, there has been challenges for it to overcome on its journey so far.
“We’ve gone from seating 30 covers and being a predominantly sit-in coffee shop with pop-up bistro nights to now only having the capacity for up to nine covers with current restrictions,” Aaron mentions.
“With a pandemic still in our midst, it’s hard to think what will be happening next week.
“They say your first year in business is the hardest – that is incorrect.
“Our second year in business in a pandemic was by far harder. But with the right people by our side, anything is possible.”
New kids on the block
Aaron still describes his business as being “one of the new kids on the block” in Laurencekirk and it proudly champions its use of local produce in its food offerings.
“Local produce is something we’re really passionate about,” he says.
“We’re really lucky to have so many great producers within just a few miles and also in the wider Aberdeenshire and Angus areas.
“What makes it really special is getting to know the people behind these businesses.”
TikTok is also no stranger to Gannets, which has utilised the social media platform to engage its customers – even though Aaron claims they’re “not very good at it!”
Wide-eyed smiles
But throughout all of the experiences in the hospitality industry Aaron has encountered to date, he believes that it’s the little things that money can’t buy which continue to make his job at Gannets so enjoyable.
“I’d like to think that what our customers enjoy the most about Gannets is their experience as a whole,” he says.
“[I enjoy] helping put a smile on people’s faces.
“Whether that’s helping them with their coffee fix, the wide-eyed smile of a child peering into the cake cabinet, when someone sees the size of their sandwich and wonder how they’re going to eat it all, or simply being that familiar face or listening ear when it’s needed.
“For too long, I have worked in a kitchen behind the scenes. Now, I can be present to interact and see people enjoy the food that we work so hard to deliver.
“That’s really special to me.”
A round of questions with Aaron Neave of Gannets…
What’s one item you’ll always have in your store cupboard?
The item that we always have in store cupboard is Belgium chocolate.
Best food and drink pairing?
Best food and drink paring is a club sandwich with a nice cold can of soft juice. My favourite in the shop would be the paisley drink company drinks.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what three drinks would be there with you?
If stuck on an island, I would have to say dilute juice, cup of tea, fizzy juice (I am not a big alcohol drinker).
Any secret tips of the trade you’d care to share?
My secret tip would be for hard boil eggs. The trick is to take the egg out the water and spin. If it stands upright spinning, the egg is ready.
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