Chef Director Tony Dorris

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Tony Dorris, Chef Director at Jersey Pottery, took his first steps into a catering career at Carshalton College when he enrolled at the age of 16 years for a catering diploma. 

Born in London and growing up in Mitcham, Tony has had an incredible career working in London and France, cooking for the royal family and for the past 18 years working at Jersey Pottery. Tony has an unstoppable drive to be versatile in food and facilities offered and is an inspiration to any young person looking at a career in catering. 

On leaving education for the first time, Tony got a job as a trainee fish monger on the fish counter at Tesco’s in Sutton.

“Coming from an inland suburb of London and with no family involvement with food it took a while to get used to gutting fish and the smell, I was pretty squeamish when I started but its now one of my passions living so close to the sea with some fantastic seafood.”

A member of the Saturday staff at Tesco’s was studying at Carshalton College and gave Tony the idea to enquiry. Following an interview with the Head Chef, Tony was offered a place.

“I spent two years at the college from 1985-1987, achieved good results, all the lecturers were brilliant, I struggled with the theory in the beginning (might be something to do with not listening at school) but the fact that I found something that interested me along with the dedicated lecturers helped me start a career that I still enjoy success in 25 years later.

I didn’t enjoy school at all but I loved college especially in the second year when along with the placement at Inigo Jones I realised I defiantly wanted to be a chef. Whilst at college I worked part time at the Greyhound Hotel just around the corner which helped a lot as I worked in pretty much all departments but mainly cooking.”

(Tony appeared on the front cover of the Caterer magazine in 1986, please see image attached)

After leaving College, Tony worked at various establishments including Earls Court exhibition centre and the Churchill Hotel on Portman Square as a Commis Chef, the Britannia Intercontinental Grosvenor Square Hotel, the Royal Garden Hotel as Chef De Partie in the restaurant kitchen, spent some short periods in top restaurants in France to understand different operations before going to Jersey to work as Sous Chef at in a small French restaurant The Granite Corner. After a year, Tony moved back to London to be Sous Chef at the Ritz before retuning to Jersey to become Sous Chef at Chateau la Chaire in Rozel Bay and then to his current position at Jersey Pottery, a company who have built a reputation for award winning ceramics, superb dining and first class outside catering.

“In the time I have been at Jersey Pottery, I have seen it grow from 2 restaurants, one formal (previously awarded three AA Rosettes) and one less formal, both in the same complex alongside a working pottery and large shop, in the days of high tourism to Jersey. Currently we have 20 outlets including 7 schools, 3 cafes, a gastro pub and a top quality beach restaurant plus a large outside catering business  with other offerings on the way. My title now is Chef Director, I oversee the whole of the back of house operations and get involved with most parts of the business, I have been a director for about 10 years and currently I am involved in the changes including moving our operations to Jerseys main town of St Helier.”

In their latest book, Homemade Homemade, Tony has put together a collection of their favourite recipes which are simple and easy to follow. Tony says the desire to stay in Jersey comes from the wealth of fresh ingredients to create recipes from and the endless new opportunities at Jersey Pottery. Tony’s advice to anyone interested in becoming a chef is

“My advice to young people going into the industry is to be prepared for hard work, be flexible and show commitment to the job, they must be willing to learn and listen to advice given by senior staff, also don’t leave a stone unturned keep researching recipes, food styles and techniques that you are not sure of to improve your knowledge, don’t be shy get stuck in.”

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