Tributes paid to executive chef at Gleneagles Alan Gibb

Alan Gibb, the executive chef at Gleneagles, has died at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after suffering a stroke. He was 48.

 

Tributes have been paid on social media and at hotels across Scotland with flags flying at half-mast.

 

Gibb worked at the five-AA-red-star Gleneagles hotel since 2006 and led a team of 70 chefs across four restaurants at the resort.

 

The hotel posted a photo of Gibb on Twitter yesterday (22 June) afternoon saying: "Devastated to tell you our wonderful executive chef Alan Gibb died last night. Our thoughts are with his family."

 

Edinburgh chef Mark Greenaway, who runs Mark Greenaway 69 North Castle Street, tweeted that it was "such sad news".

 

He said: "I worked with this great chef in 1996 when he was a sous chef at Gleneagles. RIP Chef."

 

Flags were flying at half-mast at Gibb's former hotel, Balbirnie House hotel in Markinch, where he ran the kitchen from November 1998 until May 2003.

 

Managing director Nicholas Russell described Gibb as a "culinary vision" and a "tremendously focused executive chef and a dedicated hands-on cook, driven by evolution within kitchens, and doing all possible to encourage young chefs into the amazing world of hospitality."

 

He said Gibb's dishes represented "contemporary Scotland on a plate" and added "RIP Chef, onwards to the big kitchen in the sky."

 

“It is a terrible shock to the Gleneagles community, and the void he has left is all too tangible. However, we take comfort that Alan’s legacy will live on through the hundreds of chefs he mentored over the years â€" professionals now based all over the UK â€" whose interest in catering was sparked by Alan’s passion and for whom Alan was a great role model. Our thoughts and prayers are with Alan’s family at this distressing time.”

 

Gibb also worked as head chef at the City Inn, Glasgow for just over a year before joining Gleneagles.

 

Prior to that he owned the Restaurant at Cluny Bank in Forres. He began his career in 1984 having worked in Scotland, London and France before landing the head chef role at the luxury Balbirnie hotel in Fife.

 

Gibb leaves behind his wife Karen and son Leon.

 

The Gleneagles hotel appoints new resort head chef >>

 

Former Michelin-starred chef Chris Oakes dies suddenly >>

 

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