Gunn Eriksen

Gunn Eriksen
Born	1956 Grimstad, Norway
Occupation	Chef
Years active	1976–2001
Known for	Managing the Altnaharrie Inn; only woman in Britain with two Michelin stars in the 1990s

Gunn Eriksen (born 1956) is a distinguished Norwegian chef recognized for managing the Altnaharrie Inn, situated in the secluded highland Scotland. During the 1990s, she stood out as the only woman in Britain to hold two Michelin stars.

Life

Born in 1956 in Grimstad, Norway, Eriksen initially trained in weaving and ceramics in Ullapool, located in northern Scotland. In 1976, she assisted her future spouse, Fred Brown, with launching the Altnaharrie Inn, which could be reached from Ullapool solely by boat across Loch Broom. She joined Brown at the Inn in 1980 and they married four years later, in 1984.

Eriksen, who developed her culinary skills independently, earned acclaim for incorporating distinctive Highland ingredients such as nettles, sorrel, and hawthorn shoots. Drawing inspiration from her Scandinavian heritage, she creatively blended local seafood with imported elements. In 1994, the establishment became the sole Scottish restaurant to receive two Michelin stars, making Eriksen Britain's only female chef with this distinction at that time. Additionally, the Altnaharrie Inn was among four UK restaurants to achieve a 9.10 rating from the Good Food Guide and was awarded five rosettes by the AA food guide.

The Inn operated seasonally from Easter through November but encountered difficulties after Eriksen experienced a slipped disc and persistent back problems in 2001, which postponed its spring reopening. As a result, the restaurant lost its Michelin star rating that year. By April 2002, Eriksen and Brown decided to put the Altnaharrie Inn on the market.