Andrew Hamer, former executive head chef of Gleneagles hotel in Perthshire, has set up an outside catering company Wilde Thyme.

The event caterer specialises in fresh Scottish produce and was set up last year by Hamer and his business partner James Landale.

Hamer finished at Gleneagles in February in order to concentrate on his new venture. Wild Thyme has already catered for a number of high-profile weddings.

“I very much wanted to stay in Scotland,” said Hamer. “The new business causes similar headaches to my old job, but different grey hairs. People in Scotland know us now and we have high aspirations of where to take the business.”

Former Gleneagles head chef Colin Bussey succeeded Hamer as executive head chef in June this year. 

Prior to his appointment, Bussey was executive chef on board P&O’s Oriana. Bussey knows Gleneagles well as he was head chef at the famous Scottish hotel a decade ago.

Buy this week's Caterer magazine for more industry news and analysis