When Gareth Gilder watched his mother turn her hand from German bratwurst to Asian noodles, Indian curries and Ghurka soups, little did he know that those childhood experiences would eventually shape his career — and help make a Melrose café one of the Scottish Borders’ most celebrated businesses.
Today, Gareth is the chef behind the culinary offering at Eden Café in Melrose and Ochiltree’s Café at Abbotsford, both of which have built strong reputations with local customers and visitors from around the world.
That reputation was recognised when Eden was named Roxburghshire’s Favourite Business 2026 at the Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Excellence Awards.
It is a particularly special achievement for Gareth and his team, as Ochiltree’s previously claimed the Roxburghshire title in 2025.
A childhood surrounded by food and cultures
Gareth grew up in a military family, with his father serving with the 12th Signals. His childhood took him to places including Germany and Hong Kong, as well as Wolverhampton and Cumbria.
But alongside the travelling and changing locations, it was food that left one of the strongest impressions.
“There are many things you learn and develop in your childhood, but one of the clearest memories I have from those times spent around the world is of my mum Sharon, who is a fantastic cook, serving up all sorts of dishes for our dinner.”
Military life also meant Gareth was regularly exposed to different cultures and cuisines.
Families would gather together while serving personnel were away, with Gareth meeting Ghurkas, Indians, Dutch families and many others.
“That’s how I became such a big fan of food,” he says.
Now 44, Gareth enjoys sharing that passion for food with his own three children, while also introducing customers across the Scottish Borders to a diverse range of flavours.
From the Lake District to Canada and back to the Borders
Gareth's professional journey began at cookery college in Barrow-in-Furness, followed by experience at the Lakeside Hotel & Spa on Windermere.
He then moved to the Royalist Hotel in Stow-on-the-Wold, where he worked under Australian Michelin chef and former New Zealand Chef of the Year Alan Thompson.
His career subsequently took him overseas, where he ran two restaurants in Vancouver. It was there that he met his wife, Dunia.
Returning to the UK in 2010, Gareth joined the Buccleuch Hotel in St Boswells, where he spent a decade while starting a family.
He later moved into lecturing, helping to pass his enthusiasm and knowledge of cooking on to the next generation of chefs.
But the kitchen was calling.
“I missed the daily excitement, or pressure, of the kitchen,” Gareth admits.
That opportunity came in 2022 when new owner David Peters, of Saltire Hospitality, asked Gareth to take on Eden and Ochiltree’s.
Understanding what customers really want
Since then, both cafés have gone from strength to strength.
For Gareth, however, successful hospitality is about much more than simply producing good food.
“It has been great fun working with David and the staff at Eden to really turn the café around,” he says.
“That’s often where the challenge is – recognising what your customer wants and using your experience to make it memorable, whatever time of the day that might be.”
That customer focus has helped create a loyal following, supported by a team that Gareth says genuinely cares about what they do.
“We have a lot of dedicated staff and a really good team, both at Eden and Ochiltree’s, that care about what we do, and what customers want.”
The result is a low staff turnover and a culture where people are encouraged to keep learning and looking for ways to improve.
Putting sustainability on the menu
The businesses have also been working hard to improve their environmental credentials.
Food waste has been significantly reduced, while solar panels have been installed at both Eden and Ochiltree’s to help tackle rising energy costs.
Even waste products are being given a new purpose.
Gareth highlights the example of glass bottles being recycled into sand, which is then used on driveways across the region.
“It’s great for the carbon footprint,” he says.
For a hospitality business, where energy, food waste and other operating costs can have a significant impact, these changes are not simply about sustainability — they also make good business sense.
The power of being recognised by your customers
So, what does Gareth think persuaded hundreds of customers to vote for Eden as their Borders Favourite Business?
His answer is refreshingly straightforward.
“It’s a good question and I guess we’d have to ask them.”
What he does know is what the award means to his team.
“It is a huge boost to our staff and we would like to thank our customers.”
The recognition comes at a time when the hospitality sector continues to face significant challenges.
“The hospitality industry has gone through a lot of pain with too many forced to shut up shop,” Gareth explains.
“It is a hard slog, and people can be so rude to staff – and sometimes when you’re comforting a staff member left in tears you do wonder if it’s worth it.”
Against that backdrop, knowing that hundreds of customers have taken the time to vote for the business has been particularly meaningful.
“To be told that hundreds of people out there do like us and what we’re doing each day is amazing to hear.”
Supporting the local economy
Gareth is also passionate about the role that locally sourced food can play in supporting the wider Scottish Borders economy.
“We don’t make big profits after everyone is paid but thankfully, David is happy to run the business with small margins and shares my passion for using locally sourced food that helps our wider economy.”
That approach appears to be paying dividends.
Eden and Ochiltree’s have become increasingly busy year on year, with the businesses now expanding their teams.
For Gareth, that growth also creates opportunities to train and develop the next generation of hospitality professionals.
“We can fall short sometimes because it’s tough to judge in a tourism area how busy you will be day to day, but being busier means we can train chefs and front-of-house staff, which I really enjoy.”
Consistency is the secret ingredient
Perhaps the biggest lesson from Gareth’s journey is also the simplest.
Asked what he thinks customers like most about Eden, he believes the answer is consistency.
“We have high standards in our food and service, and of course we aim for perfection every day.”
But there is an important distinction.
“I have learned from my mum and some top chefs in great restaurants that consistency beats perfection.”
It is a philosophy that seems to be working.
From a childhood spent experiencing food and cultures around the world, to kitchens in the Lake District, the Cotswolds and Vancouver, Gareth has brought those experiences back to the Scottish Borders — creating food, jobs and experiences for customers in the communities where he now lives and works.
And as Eden Café prepares to compete for the overall Borders Favourite Business 2026 title, Gareth and his team can take pride in knowing that their greatest recognition has come from the people who matter most: their customers.
About the Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards
The Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards celebrate the achievements, innovation and contribution of businesses and organisations across the Scottish Borders.
The Borders Favourite Business category gives customers and the wider community the opportunity to recognise the businesses they value most, shining a light on the people and organisations helping to make the Scottish Borders a great place to live, work and visit.
Eden Café will compete for the overall Borders Favourite Business 2026 title at the Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards at Peebles Hydro on 28 August.
