Gaucho – the celebrated Argentinian steak restaurant – is to open a flagship restaurant and bar in Scotland, officially opening its doors mid-November. The new 120 cover luxury restaurant will be based in Edinburgh’s prestigious St Andrew Square and will see the creation of 50 new jobs including openings for chefs, front of house and bar staff.
All staff will be inducted into the Gaucho Training Academy – an ongoing commitment to training and development at every level. Set up by Chief Operations Officer, Tracey Matthews, the intensive, industry-leading training programme sees prospective employees become ‘the best in the business’; passing a number of product knowledge exams and immersing into the Gaucho philosophy of ‘one guest at a time’.
The £1.5m investment will see 4a St Andrew Square transformed into a sophisticated yet welcoming dining destination for business lunches, intimate evening dining, private dining and special events.
Diners in Edinburgh can enjoy Gaucho’s globally renowned steaks as well as specially created fusion dishes – such as haggis empanadas - made using locally sourced Scottish produce.
Gaucho’s wine list will provide a choice of more than 200 exclusive Argentinian wines, some of which are produced at the restaurant’s vineyard in Mendoza, as well as an extensive range of Scottish whiskies and gins.
Gaucho’s Edinburgh location is a homecoming for the restaurant’s free-to-roam, grass-fed Aberdeen Angus beef.
Originally from Scotland, Aberdeen Angus was first introduced to Argentina in 1879 by Don Carlos Guerrero.
Today, all Argentina’s Aberdeen Angus are direct descendants of Guerrero’s original Scottish cattle – Cinderella, Aunt Lee and Virtuoso, the bull.
The launch of the Edinburgh restaurant will also see Chef Director –Jamie Robertson – return to his roots. Born and raised in Bonnyrigg, Robertson worked alongside celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver, before joining Gaucho in 2012; overseeing menu development and supply chain.
Commenting on the new Edinburgh restaurant, Chef Director, Jamie Robertson, said:
“Being from Bonnyrigg, this is something of a homecoming for me. I’m enjoying the opportunity to create exclusive dishes for our new Edinburgh restaurant that celebrate and fuse the provenance of Argentinian beef with Scotland’s enviable natural larder.
“If there’s one thing Scots know, it’s good beef, so I’m looking forward to bringing Gaucho’s world-famous menu to a home crowd.”
Tracey Matthews, Group Chief Operating Officer at Gaucho said:
“Right in the heart of Scotland’s cosmopolitan capital, the iconic St Andrew Square provides an ideal location for Gaucho to open our flagship Scottish restaurant and bar.
“Edinburgh’s food and drink scene is flourishing and we see Gaucho making a significant contribution to this.
We can’t wait to open the doors and welcome the people of Edinburgh to the Gaucho experience – one that combines quality food and great drinks with the highest quality service in an unforgettable environment.”
