Chef Alex Thain who was best known for winning the prestigious Gordon Ramsay Scholarship in 2005 has died.

People have shared their sympathies across various social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter following the tragic news.

Today we lost a great chef and a great man, rest in peace Alex Thain - you inspired many young chefs through all your work. ????????

— James Newton (@JamesNewton6) August 27, 2017

Starting his career as an apprentice chef at a hotel in Fochabers near to where he grew up, Alex later moved on to work at Kinnaird House in Perthshire and the Carnoustie Hotel before spending three years working with renowned chef Andrew Fairlie at One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow.

This was later followed by a role at Gordon Ramsay’s Amaryllis restaurant before joining Étain in Princess Square, Glasgow as sous chef. It was during this time the 25 year old won Gordon Ramsay’s Scholarship for young chefs and was soon poached by Cosmo restaurant owner, Keith Murray who wanted the chef to head up his Edinburgh based restaurant’s relaunch.

Other places of work after Cosmo included Cameron Grill at Cameron House in Loch Lomond; South Lanarkshire’s the Popinjay hotel; the Butchershop Bar & Grill in Glasgow; the Cromlix hotel in Perthshire and more recently as head chef of Crossbasket Castle, Glasgow.

In June of this year, he left his role at Crossbasket Castle to head up Big Bite Catering.

Alex leaves behind his wife Claire and four children.