A quick chat with Gamba Chef de Partie Helder Queiros
Helder Queiros is Gamba’s chef de partie. He’s been chopping, prepping, and plating at Derek’s elbow in the kitchen for over two years now. He’s from Porto in Portugal, loves Glasgow, and working at its top seafood restaurant.
“Working with Derek is a privilege, watching him at his craft. I’m blessed to work beside a great chef who knows what he’s doing and how to work with all foods, not just seafood. As much as it can be nerve-wracking, it’s brilliant. Not only is Derek great to work with, but Gregor and the front-of-house staff too.
“It can be quite challenging at times, working in a busy high-end restaurant, and I have learned a lot just by observing Derek and the way he manages everything.
“He keeps you on your toes, and I like being challenged. I worked for chain restaurants in the past making wraps and burritos and this wasn’t enough for me. If it’s too relaxed and too complacent, you get into a rut, you start making mistakes or the quality dips. But at Gamba, it’s always busy and we’re always learning to push and push. The more you push yourself, the better life is. I want to learn and so I obligate myself to keep on developing my cheffing skills.
“Porto’s a coastal city with lots of fresh fish to eat, cold winters and hot summers, so I’ve always loved fish – working with it and eating it. I’ve lived in Scotland for 17 years and never worked in a kitchen before I came to the UK. But I learned a lot from watching my mother cook.”
In which restaurants did Helder work before Gamba?
“I don’t have a string of restaurants on my CV. I like to stay in one job for a decent amount of time to get to know the workings of the kitchen and the business inside out. You need to give things time, not flit from job to job.
“I spent one year in England before I came to Scotland, and Glasgow restaurants are so different to those I worked in before in the south and north of England. I started working in Watford in a Mexican restaurant franchise kitchen that took me to Leeds, Newcastle, and finally Glasgow.
“I worked for Malmaison after that, roughly 10 years ago, as breakfast chef, and working on the larder section, plus this is when I became a father. So, I was also a runner doing front of house and back of house too. I had a newborn to feed and nappies are expensive! I ended up doing room service as well.”
Then Helder spent a month or so in Aberdeen where it was a bit cold and wet so he soon hot-footed it back to Glasgow.
“I worked for City Refrigeration in the staff canteen after my spell up north. This was a 9 to 5 and while it had its advantages, I felt that I needed a challenge after a few years. You always need a challenge as a human being otherwise what’s the point?”
Then it was Glasgow’s Mussel Inn for Helder, just before the pandemic, Single End, and then Gamba.
Good food at Gamba
What is Helder’s favourite dish on the a la carte menu at Gamba?
“It has to be the new style sashimi. The look, the taste, the flavour, the acidity cooks the fish and I love that concept. This is a Gamba customer favourite and the new look is being so well received.”
Away from the job
“Glasgow is a magical city. So much of a buzz to it, and when I go to live music venues and the nightlife and people. I love big cities and I like the noise, the cars, and the atmosphere.
"I grew up in a place where people are always hustling, selling fish, eggs, chicken, this and that, and I always love to hear this, like markets. I love bartering. It’s in my blood. Maybe one day I’ll go back to that, but right now, I’m really happy in Glasgow and Gamba.
“Away from the job, I’m learning how to make techno music and I love it. It’s a lot of mathematics, tempo and chords. I like the intricacy of it. My other passions are playing video games and spending time with my partner and daughter of course.
“I also collect trainers – eleven pairs and counting!”
By Jason Caddy