Acorn Awards 2024: Sam Yorke, 26, chef patron, Heron

Age 26

Position Chef-owner, Heron, Leith, Edinburgh

Nominator Abie Dobie, account manager, Sound Bite PR

Sam Yorke was only 23 when in 2021 he opened his first restaurant, Heron, taking the leap from working at Castle Terrace, Edinburgh – where he rose in just two years from commis to sous chef – to having full creative control and building his own team.

But he’d already tasted success. Earlier that year Yorke, who trained at Edinburgh New Town Cooking School, and chef Tomás Gormley had launched Bad Seeds, a pop-up dining at home service, which garnered glowing reviews.

Later in 2021, the pair opened Heron, a relaxed fine-dining restaurant with a menu using locally sourced farm-to-table ingredients. Plaudits followed, and in 2023, Yorke, aged 25, became the youngest chef in Scotland to receive a Michelin star for Heron, which he has retained.

That year, after opening their second restaurant Skua, the pair dissolved their partnership, with Yorke retaining Heron.

Yorke stresses his success is down to his 12-strong team working together. In fact, one of his biggest priorities is that his team is happy and progressing. Everyone works five days on with two days off, and as the team expands he will shift to a four-day week. He also offers flexitime, allowing staff to work overtime for extra pay or take time back as extended leave. He also makes sure to develop his team: his bar manager has progressed in three years to bar and beverage director.

Yorke also gives back to the industry by, for instance, partnering with the New Town Cookery School to host a stagiaire pupil and hosting cookery demonstrations.

How do you get the best out of your team?

"By creating an environment of mutual respect. The team all work very hard and it is important to recognise that we are all working towards the same goal. We have a good laugh, but everyone also understands the standards and discipline required. This means we can create a convivial atmosphere while maintaining our high-quality offering."

What excites you most about the future of hospitality?

"The industry has evolved massively over the past 10 years despite significant headwinds and I think that if we continue on the same trajectory, we will see some exciting developments. Once the current difficulties weighing on hospitality subside, there will be more time to focus on developing the industry so that it is better to its people, more environmentally conscious and continuously pushes boundaries."