‘A life-long dream of mine’: Gary Townsend to open first restaurant in Glasgow

Chef Gary Townsend is set to launch his first restaurant, Elements, this spring in Glasgow’s Bearsden.

Townsend, who has 20 years’ experience in the industry, was previously head chef at the three-AA-rosette One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow for six years.

He has also worked at Restaurant Martin Wishart in Cameron House, Loch Lomond, and staged at restaurants such as the three Michelin-starred L’Enclume in Cumbria and the Michelin-starred Kitchin in Edinburgh.

Elements will be a 40-cover fine dining restaurant focused on showcasing ingredients from Scottish producers such as ABR Fine Foods in Bearsden, Millbank Farm, Lockerbie, and the Fish People, Glasgow.

In the evenings, guests will be offered a choice between a seasonal tasting menu or a la carte, while lunchtime diners will have the added option of a smaller four-course menu.

A vegan tasting menu will also be available, alongside an extensive selection of wines and non-alcoholic drinks.

Elements received £400,000 of investment from “a mix of private and personal” funding and is set to undergo a major refurbishment prior to the opening, including the addition of an accessible toilet.

Townsend told The Caterer: “I think for any chef it’s a dream to open your own site, but the reality of doing it sometimes gets drawn away with whatever route you take in life. I’ve been chipping away at this for the last two years now, so it’s always been a life-long dream of mine since I started cooking.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to share my love and passion for great food and good customer service in a place that’s special and exciting.”

Despite the backdrop of ongoing closures in the industry, Townsend remains cautiously optimistic.

“I just think there’s a risk in everything you do in life, whether it’s a new job or a new restaurant or whatever it is. There is a risk in hospitality and it would be wrong for me personally not to consider this as we start out, but I feel I’m fortunate enough to have a strong team behind me and I’m confident in what I do. It’s the right time for me to do this,” he added.