Bryn Jones

Chef-owner Bryn Jones is known for his quietly confident cooking style, rooted in flavour, locality, and a deep respect for produce.

Chef-owner Bryn Jones is known for his quietly confident cooking style, rooted in flavour, locality, and a deep respect for produce.

“A modest but extremely accomplished chef-patron. Bryn cooks delicious food, serving it with a minimum of fuss and maximum flavour.”
— Rev. R. S.

Together with his wife Oxana, Bryn Jones has transformed THE GORDON ARMS Restaurant with Rooms in the Yarrow Valley, Scottish Borders, into one of Scotland’s most respected independent dining destinations since their arrival in April 2022.

Recent national recognition includes:

  • The Good Food Guide 2024 & 2025 – The 100 Best Local Restaurants in Great Britain

  • The Good Food Guide – Main Guide entry (2023 – 2025)

  • Winner: Best Restaurant with Rooms, South Region, National Hotels of the Year Scotland Awards (2025)

  • Green Tourism Silver Award 2023–2026 for sustainable practice

  • “A Recipe for Success in the Borders” — Catriona Thomson, The Scotsman Magazine (November 2025)

  • Reviewed by Rosalind Erskine, The Scotsman (2024)

  • Harden’s 2025

Bryn trained at three colleges, including Westminster College in London, and honed his craft at leading establishments such as the Bentley’s Group. He later co-founded The Gourmet Pizza Company and Riviera Restaurants Group, operating six successful London venues for over a decade.

After selling his business to Pizza Express, he spent 20 years running The Oxford Arms in Kirtlington, Oxfordshire — a multi-award-winning dining pub featured in The Good Food Guide, The Good Pub Guide, and Sawday’s Great British Pub Guide as one of the Best 500 Places to Eat and Drink in the UK.

Now in the Scottish Borders, Bryn continues to champion his philosophy of maximum flavour with minimum fuss. Every dish reflects his belief in honest, consistent cooking, exceptional produce, and quiet craftsmanship — qualities that have earned him loyal guests and critical acclaim.

Bryn Jones’s rules are very simple:

  • We look after you from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.

  • We don’t pile our food up so it looks like a bonfire.

  • We don’t serve anything but soup in a soup plate.

  • We don’t use gimmicks or unnecessary labels on our menu.

  • We serve only prime cuts of aged beef.

  • We use more than 80% local produce.

  • We care about our planet.

  • Our quality is remembered long after the price is forgiven.

Consultancy by Chef-owner Bryn Jones

With a reputation for building THE GORDON ARMS Restaurant with Rooms into one of Scotland’s most acclaimed independent dining destinations, Chef-owner Bryn Jones now offers tailored consultancy for pubs, restaurants, and hospitality start-ups seeking practical, creative, and commercially sound guidance.

Each project begins with a detailed review of your concept, menu and operations, followed by structured stages of support that may include menu development, staffing strategies, kitchen design and profitability planning.

Consultancy is a professional paid service, designed to deliver lasting results and realistic, sustainable growth.

To enquire, please contact: enquiries@gordonarmsyarrow.co.uk