2 days ago
Edinburgh chef who started own restaurant at 23 now one of 'Scotland's best'
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An award-winning Edinburgh founder chef has discussed the difficulties of being a young restaurateur in the capital's vibrant hospitality sector.
Jun Au, from Polwarth, admits he was never any good at school when it came to academics and so he knew he wanted to do something more 'physical.'
At age 18 he set his sights on becoming a chef and honed his art working in the kitchens on Castle Terrace and the Green Store on Victoria Street before its closure. After earning a degree in hospitality, he ventured into the world of PR, representing several businesses in London.
But when the Covid pandemic hit, the PR firm lost all of their clients which led to him moving back to Edinburgh with some saved up cash. Feeling there was nothing to lose, he decided to launch Pomelo at the age of 23 on Strathearn Road.
Now in his current location on Sciennes Road, the 27-year-old has tasted success, earning an Acorn award as well as being named "Best Asian Chef in Scotland' by the Asian Catering Federation and one of CODE 30 under 30 in 2025.
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'I would say it was the best time for us to start out,' he said. 'Lockdown started relaxing and people were allowed outside again, and with us being a new eatery, we drew them in.
'We rode that wave of enthusiasm but I was quite naive having never run a business before. It was a steep learning curve. You have a lot to think about as a small business such as staffing costs, taxes and your bills."
It has not been all plain sailing, with Jun arguing more needs to be done to help the sector during a period of rising costs. 'The biggest difficulty of running a restaurant in Edinburgh is monetary,' he said. 'Prices are skyrocketing and on top of that you have high rents, taxes and growing wages.
'I know they have to find a difficult balance but hospitality is one of the largest employers in the country. They have put a burden on restaurant owners and small businesses have a lot of pressure on them."
'My advice to anyone starting out is be flexible and nimble so you are able to switch things up when costs rise.'
Jun does not feel his youth has held him back and credits his staff and family for helping making the venture a success.
'For me I was never a party person,' he said. 'I liked to be by myself and now I like to be with my wife and dog.
'The people around me made a lot more sacrifices. My staff work long hours to support the business and my wife is my biggest supporter.
'She is my front of house manager who handles all the admin which I don't have the capacity to deal with. She sacrifices so much which means a lot to me.
'My parents have also put so much effort in, with my mum continuing to help out with the accounting. My chef team is also amazing. It is so hard to find competent people who really want to work and have a passion for that work.'
Winning an Acorn and being recognised by his peers was important for Jun as he admits he suffered from impostor syndrome during the early days.
'When you are as young as I am, you can be a little scared or concerned you are doing the right thing,' he said. 'You definitely have to be really passionate about when starting out as you work a lot of hours.
'I am very not calm at all. But I see my anxiety as an advantage, I never switch off and I do not know if that is a super power however if it is, then it is the worst one you can have.'
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Jun describes Pomelo as creating a menu inspired by the three chefs' heritage. At present there is a Chinese, Filipino and Maltese chef who all borrow from their own life experiences and childhoods.
Jun grew up in a Chinese family who explored their culture through food, whether it was his mother cooking in the kitchen or his grandmother passing down recipes. He believes has created a space where diners can have fun exploring fusion cuisine.
Things like the Pomelo chicken sandwich, which is made using a pineapple flavoured brioche style bun with a cookie-like crust on top, filled with fried chicken, encapsulates perfectly what Jun and his staff are all about.
'I would say we are fun,' he said. 'The menu is really inspired by our childhoods and our heritage while also focusing on produce that is in season.'
Pomelo is open for brunch and dinner bookings. To visit Pomelo's website, click here.
