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While it’s hard enough to find your passion in life, it can be even harder to turn it into a career. Make that career one based in the high intensity industry of fine dining, and it can seem impossible. The hierarchical and infamously regimented world of high-end kitchens is often misunderstood, stereotyped and overlooked. But for those who live it, it’s everything.
Billy Etheridge discovered his passion in Guernsey and continues to thrive in Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, a two Michelin star restaurant in Oxfordshire.
“My mum and dad owned Blue Horizon Hotel,” he tells me.
While operational, the hotel was where Billy first experienced the service industry. In a striking building, perched on the cliffs it used to serve a small base of returning, faithful guests. Unfortunately, it has since closed and is now being used by the States of Guernsey for essential worker accommodation.
“I kind of just started off as a waiter, and then became kitchen porter, and then finally worked as a chef, so that's kind of where it all started.”
This was all while Billy was still at school, which he admits wasn’t for him.
“I hated school. Most of us did, I suppose. But as soon as I finished school at 16, I went to catering college full time.”
Pictured: Billy Etheridge is following his passion for cooking through his career.
He said it was after joining the College of Further Education that he began to realise all he wanted to do was cook. He began an apprenticeship with catering giant Sueco, spent a brief period at the Bella Luce and then moved on to the Hook.
“I learned so much at the Hook,” he said. "I did every section. I worked with big, big cuts of meat. I worked with fish, I learned how to make pasta... So that was really great.”
To an outsider the kitchen seems impenetrable. Highly organised, in some ways almost militant. But Billy tells me that this is all by design.
"It depends what kind of a restaurant you're at. If you're at a high-level kitchen - like a two Michelin star or three Michelin star place - there's a lot of hierarchy.
“So, it goes from apprentice to Commi Chef, to Demi Chef de Partie, Chef de Partie, Junior Sous Chef, Sous Chef, Senior Sous Chef, Executive Sous Chef, Head Chef, Executive Chef and Chef Patron.”
This highly organised structure is referred to as the Brigade de Cuisine and jumping up the ladder can take a long time. It can also be stressful, and the fast-paced environment isn’t for everyone.
But it is for Billy.
"Once you get into service all tiredness just goes away and you get that adrenaline buzz. Chefs are like that, we’re all adrenaline junkies really. That's one of the reasons why we do it.
“In a high-level kitchen, when it's good, it's amazing, but when it's bad, it's horrible.”
Pictured: Billy Etheridge has worked in Michelin star restaurants.
Despite the pressure, Billy knew he wanted to pursue Michelin star cooking and decided to chase the dream. After a knock-back interview in Cornwall, he decided to email several Michelin star restaurants in the UK and ended up scoring himself an interview with Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons.
Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons is Raymond Blanc’s restaurant.
The iconic French chef has an OBE and his restaurant has two Michelin stars. Tucked away in Oxfordshire it has been described as Raymond’s vision for a hotel and restaurant in harmony.
Billy had to prove himself through a two-day trial and by cooking a vegetarian main dish under pressure within ten minutes.
After impressing the kitchen manager Billy was offered a job and has been with the restaurant for nearly three years.
He is now Demi Chef de Partie and is currently responsible for fish.
“I have to cook the fish, make the sauces... It's a single man section at the moment, but I've run pretty much all the other sections in the kitchen. You have to take care of other people too."
Cooking is clearly more than a passion for Billy, it’s a calling. He’s good at it. This was no more apparent than when he recently won The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) Young Chef of the Year, for which he was awarded the opportunity to work at two highly regarded restaurants.
So, what’s the next step?
"I mean, that's the big question," he says.
“I'm thinking I want to work in a three Michelin star restaurant next. Hopefully, in Europe or London and then the end goal, would probably be to have a farm restaurant with my brother. Possibly in Guernsey or the UK. Garden to plate in one place.”
It’s clear when talking to Billy that his love is for food, for the kitchen and the future can only really hold one thing. A career in the kitchen. But why?
“I think it's all kind of bundled into one. I think it's the love of food. It's the love of camaraderie with your friends that you work with; delivering food to a high standard and making people happy with what you make.
“It's more than just a job, especially when you're working at the level that I'm working at. It's your life.”
He said budding chefs should know what they’re getting into, but the reward is worth the effort. And if you can hack it, there’s nothing better.
"Definitely do it but be prepared for hard work. It's no easy career, mentally or physically... You need to be a little bit mental to do this job.
“When I was growing up as a chef I had so many people telling me not to do it - but I'm not going to be like that. You get so get so much from it and I wouldn’t do anything else with my life now.”
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