Darron Bunn joins Gleneagles as executive chef

Darron Bunn has been appointed executive chef at Gleneagles as the Perthshire hotel looks to begin “a new culinary chapter”.

He has stepped into the role following the departure of Simon Attridge, who left in 2023 to join Claridge’s in London as culinary director.

Bunn trained as chef de partie under the late Nico Ladenis at the three-Michelin-starred 90 Park Lane in London and spent six years being mentored by Marco Pierre White.

He was previously group executive chef at the Goodwood Estate in Sussex and chef patron at the Michelin-starred Greyhound pub in Hampshire.

In his new role, Bunn will lead Gleneagles’ brigade of over 100 chefs and 40 stewards across ten kitchens, which cover eight bars and restaurants, private dining and the hotel room service.

Bunn said: “To be given the chance to make my mark on Gleneagles and take my place in its story is a career defining moment.

“The food at Gleneagles has maintained its place on the culinary map for generations and has already been on an incredible journey of improvement over the past five years.”

He added that customers’ tastes and interests were changing and hospitality businesses had to be “ready to adapt”.

“Nobody wants to come to a five-star hotel to be lectured about healthy eating or sustainability but many want the option to make responsible choices,” he said.

“Those types of lifestyle preferences need to be reframed so that vegan dishes, vegetarian options and foods which support good gut health are not simply a footnote at the end of a menu full of meat options but are woven unapologetically into the heart of all our dining experiences.”

The 232-bedroom, five-red-AA-star Gleneagles hotel is situated in an 850-acre estate and is home to the two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Andrew Fairlie.

Its managing director Conor O’Leary was named the 2023 Hotelier of the Year for his work transforming the estate from a golf-led resort to a broader and more modern hotel offering multiple activities.