Scots-born chef brings passion for food to Crowne Plaza Queenstown

A passion for food and a love of travel has seen Scots-born chef Scott Wyper make his home in Queenstown – where he was recently appointed Executive Chef at Crowne Plaza Queenstown.

Born in Kilmarnock, the home of Johnny Walker whisky, Scott landed in Queenstown after several years of career-broadening travel, fell in love and stayed, as so many do.

Before taking up his new role at the centrally-located, iconic resort hotel, he worked his way through the chef ranks at top London restaurants such as1837 in Browns Mayfair Hotel and The Ivy, both beloved of international celebrities and the city’s elite.

He extended his culinary skills and knowledge through travel in India, China and Thailand before working in Wellington and then heading to Queenstown.

30-year-old Scott said he was thrilled to be leading the kitchen team at Crowne Plaza Queenstown, which is renowned for its contemporary, stylish and seasonal cuisine created with the best possible ingredients.

“My style of food is fresh and local,” he said. “I like to put my stamp on everything I do but I don’t think you need to mess with food too much. A good chef is one who takes a few good local ingredients and lets them do the talking; too many dishes are ruined with too many components.”

On his appointment as Executive Chef, he said leadership was more than telling someone what to do and expecting them to do it.

“It’s enabling your team to succeed in doing everything to the highest standard,” he said. “Everyone needs to understand why and how something has to be done, from how to wash a pan properly to how to create a winning dish on the menu.

“Everyone is important in the kitchen and every day there’s learning to be done. I’m very lucky – because my job is my passion.”

That passion for preparing fabulous food was ignited by his entrepreneurial mentoring chef teacher Andrew Costley, who trained Wyper for three-and-a-half years, predominantly in Costley & Costley Hoteliers’ fine dining country house, Loch Green House Hotel, in Ayrshire.

Wyper credits Costley with encouraging him to further his training in London.

“Thanks to him I became a head chef for the first time at 26 and was able to follow my dream around the world.”