Happy 25th birthday to us!
Glasgow got its first taste of Gamba Seafood Restaurant in October 1998 when Derek Marshall sent out the first-ever plate of incredible food from the kitchen. A quarter of a century on and he’s putting the finishing touches to 25th birthday celebrations.
Says Derek: “Reaching 25 years is a great personal and professional achievement. You can’t run a restaurant for 25 years and not offer an exceptional dining experience, plus I love what I do and celebrating all that’s world-beating about Scotland’s larder.
“Many of our guests have been dining here since 1998, and we’re now welcoming their sons and daughters and families through our door. Our regulars know what to expect and despite our menus changing regularly, we offer a constancy and continuity that people seem to like and need in today’s rapidly changing world. With a few creative twists along the way too of course.
“We have always used only the highest quality seafood and other ingredients, with a focus on traceability and provenance, sustainability, and seasonality, while working directly with our incredible suppliers who land our fish locally and ethically, using low-impact fishing, so that we can use hand-dived, creel, and line-caught produce wherever possible.
“If it’s not fresh it doesn’t make the menu which is why we are closed in the first week of January because it’s virtually impossible to get fresh produce at that time of year.”
Derek has a few celebrations up the sleeve of his chef whites to mark the occasion, including spreading the word about his passion for encouraging more aspiring chefs to cook with seafood.
Says Derek: “It was such a different world back in 1998 – it’s hard to believe Gamba is the same age as Google, and I couldn’t let it go by without marking the occasion.
“We’ll be celebrating our birthday with some surprises for our guests as a thank you for the tremendously loyal support they’ve shown us in the last quarter of a century, in an economic climate that’s been tough for everybody at times.
“But I also want to celebrate all that is wonderful about my passion, seafood, particularly creating delicate dishes and balancing flavours. I hope that any budding chefs reading this who share my enthusiasm will be inspired to do something with it.”
Gamba is now Glasgow’s longest-established seafood restaurant, and Derek’s style of letting the ingredients and flavours do the talking has been recognised multiple times over the years.
Accolades like MICHELIN recommended, appearing in the Good Food Guide, Caterer’s UK Seafood Restaurant of the Year, and a Best Restaurant Experience in the West Scottish Thistle Award win. Gamba is likewise recognised by the Scottish Taste Awards for its fresh and sustainably caught produce.
It all started when fellow restaurateur Alan Tomkins opened the restaurant and appointed Derek head chef/director, and he’s been running the business solely for over a decade since Alan’s departure.
But Derek’s career began long before Gamba. He was Head Chef at Glasgow’s Rogano and Papingo in the early 90s.
He’s been working in kitchens since the age of 15 and still gladly rolls up his sleeves to sear scallops and boil lobsters, as well as keeping a close eye on front-of-house, together with maître d', Gregor Munn, who has likewise contributed massively to Gamba’s success, working alongside Derek for many years.
Says Derek: “I still cook every working day, including peeling tatties and meeting the needs and demands of the business whatever they happen to be that day. I have an eye for detail, like if the lights are set at the wrong level, or the music is too loud or too quiet.”
Whole Roasted Gilt Headed Bream, red peppers, cashew nuts, Norwegian prawns, oyster, garlic & lemon sauce is one of Derek’s creations on the a la carte menu. For lunch, during the week or on Saturday, there are dishes like Simply Grilled Sole, with sweet chilli, coconut, and lime yoghurt with those famous Gamba Chips.
Gamba’s fish soup is equally as legendary. It must be tasted to be believed.
We have likewise built a reputation for value like our Surf & Turf deal available on Wednesdays as an alternative to the a la carte.
By Jason Caddy
Derek Marshall in chef whites and a suited Gregor Munn