Will Gilson, Chef
Will Gilson is the chef of Garden at the Cellar in Cambridge, Massachusetts and the consulting chef at The Herb Lyceum in Groton, Massachusetts. Both restaurants are very different in nature, but collectively they share the same vision: Local, sustainable, fresh and seasonal food, cuisine and ingredients. While Garden at the Cellar is new, energetic, lively and neighborhood oriented, The Herb Lyceum is a culinary destination and prides itself on the seasonal multi course dinners that are served in a farm oriented country environment.
Will’s interest in cooking has been evident from his early childhood years but took a serious turn in 1997, when he was 15 years old and apprenticed under Chef Charles Draghi of Boston’s North End Marcuccio’s. Will spent part of his college sophomore year in a three-month internship at London’s Lanesborough Hotel under Chef Paul Gayler. Will’s culinary resume includes working with John Mathieson of Silks at the Stonehedge Inn, as well as having been an invited guest chef at Marcuccios Restaurant. Will has appeared on WB56 In the Morning and has been interviewed by news and radio media.
In 2004, Will Gilson was one of six students chosen nationally as a recipient of the R.C. Kopf Student Achievement Scholarship which funded an extraordinary wine and culinary tour of wineries associated with Kobrand Corp., a major wine and spirits company. Will was sent from cities such as San Francisco, Venice, and Paris to work, study, taste, dine, and tour in and around vineyards, often in very remote areas. He toured barrel rooms and private cellars and learned firsthand about biodynamic winemaking. Will was wined and dined by leading winemakers, and sampled dishes in places ranging from tiny, family-run village restaurants to top-rated Michelin establishments.
Will is a 2005 graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI with degrees in Food Service Management and Culinary Arts. He most recently worked at the award winning Oleana, who’s Chef Ana Sortun is a recent recipient of the James Beard Award, in Cambridge.
The family business, The Herb Lyceum in Groton, allowed Will the freedom to expand his culinary expertise in his own way, creating distinctive herbal menus and setting a decidedly warm tone for the patrons who have followed his career for these past 7 years. Dinners at The Herb Lyceum are still served on Friday and Saturdays. Will works closely with organizations such as Chef’s Collaborative to help educate patrons and fellow chefs about making sustainable food choices. Will believes that through collaborative efforts between local chefs and producers, the network and core of Boston’s food scene will become stronger and healthier.
Garden at the Cellar is a blend of culinary roots and ideas. The concept stems from the years spent on the family farm, and a unique approach to creating a menu that is fun, fresh and honors the history of the famed Cellar and its patrons.
To contact Chef Will, please email at wdgilson@mac.com
