Working for his father, first across the Wirral and later managing other bakeries on England’s east coast, was the best apprenticeship Paul could ask for. He had mastered the basics of his trade and what had begun as a hobby was now starting to resemble a career. After a few years of working for his dad, he was ready for a new challenge. ‘I was passionate and very competitive,’ he told the Daily Mail. ‘I wanted to become the best. Mix passion with a competitive streak and ambition and you’ve got a recipe to do whatever you want. Anyone who’s successful will have one or all three of those traits.’
With drive and commitment such as this, it was no wonder he would quickly rise through the ranks. And an opportunity soon presented itself that would catapult him from working in local bakeries to far grander locations altogether. A job was advertised at the Chester Grosvenor – and he seized the opportunity with both hands. The hotel was well known in the northwest of England for being one of the very best. With an unrivalled reputation for excellence, it was a popular destination for anyone who was anyone when visiting Chester. And now they were looking for a baker to join their kitchen. For Paul it was his dream job and a logical next step up the career ladder. He knew only too well the rich history of the hotel, which stretched back to the nineteenth century. The plot of land where this formidable establishment now stands was purchased by Robert Grosvenor who, at the time, was the Earl Grosvenor but would later become the 1st Marquess of Westminster. Interestingly, the building was actually the headquarters of the then powerful Independent party, who at the time were apparently opposed to the Grosvenor family. Whether it was an act of revenge or otherwise to buy the building, Robert Grosvenor decided it would be better used as a hotel and quickly set about his project. The building was demolished and a new one built in its place before being named the Grosvenor Hotel. According to Simon Ward’s Chester: A History, it became known as the ‘premier place to stay’ in the town.
The hotel itself is something of an architectural masterpiece. In January 1972 it was registered as a Grade II listed building – and it’s easy to see how this came about. Originally designed by Thomas Mainwaring Penson, a local surveyor and architect, it was to be his last major project before his death in 1864. Over the years Penson has been credited with the renewed fashion for half-timbered or black-and-white buildings in Chester, which he reintroduced during the course of his career. Sadly he passed away before the Grosvenor Hotel project could be completed, but the task of bringing his vision to life was left to his son’s firm, R. K. Penson & Ritchie. The building itself has held on to some of the original features. Today it still displays Penson’s passion for timber, half in black and half in white, in keeping with the Tudor revival to be seen throughout Chester.
Once the freshening up and rebuild was complete, the hotel was then passed on to the estate of the Duke of Westminster in 1874. By then it was Richard’s son, Hugh Grosvenor, who was now the 1st Duke of Westminster.
The hotel opened in the historic location of Eastgate in the very heart of Chester. It sits in pride of place next to the Eastgate Clock and close to Grosvenor Park, Chester Cathedral and the city’s ancient walls. With the doors now open and guests flowing through, the family set about cementing its reputation as one of the finest in the northwest. Today, the hotel has a five-star rating and is consistently voted the people’s favourite in the area. So when Paul came to work for the Chester Grosvenor, he would have had to rise to the challenge. No longer was it just about baking as many products as possible as previously in his father’s bakeries; now a whole new level of service was expected of him to meet the demands of an elite clientele. According to tourism websites, the hotel boasts 68 guest bedrooms, as well as 12 sumptuous suites. As well as indulging in Paul’s delicious patisserie, guests were free to spend time in a fitness centre, spa, lounge and bar; boardrooms were available for corporate events and parties.
But Paul’s work was reserved for the highly acclaimed restaurants. The hotel boasts a Parisian-style family restaurant – La Brasserie – for which he would doubtless have been expected to create croissants, pains au chocolat and gâteaux as good as any to be found across the French capital. Alongside this relaxed eatery, the hotel also opened another restaurant for more formal long lunches and evening meals: Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor. Unsurprisingly, it was named after the hotel’s head chef, who took up the reins after joining in 1986. Originally called The Arkle, the name was changed in 2008 to reflect the personal touch that Radley brought to it. In 2011, this success was capped off when the hotel was awarded a Michelin star for the twenty-first year in a row, making it one of only five restaurants across the whole of the UK to hold the coveted star for that many years. Reports in the press state that it’s the only restaurant located in the north of England to have managed to achieve such a feat. And with its reputation sky high, little wonder that the establishment has attracted some impressive guests over the years, including Princess Diana and the Prince of Wales, while HM The Queen also visited the hotel when it hosted the wedding celebrations for one of the Grosvenor daughters.
And so, for a working-class boy from the Wirral, bagging a position at the Chester Grosvenor as a junior baker was no mean feat. While Paul would almost certainly have been nervous at the prospect of stepping away from the familiarity of the family business to work for such an esteemed establishment, he knew in his heart that it was an opportunity too good to turn down. He gave up working for his dad and took the plunge, working his way up from the bottom rung of the ladder. So while he started on simple French bakes, his eye for detail and perfectionist tendencies soon got him noticed. He was then tasked with more important responsibilities such as cakes and doing the afternoon teas.
It was while working at the Chester Grosvenor that he got his first taste of what it would be like to be on television. Despite being just 19 years old, the local TV news show, Granada Reports, wanted to do a piece on baking bread and they thought Paul might be perfect for the segment. Whether they chose him as a result of his growing reputation in Chester, or it was purely happy accident that he was selected, we will never know. Nevertheless he was delighted to be chosen. The experience also gave him an insight into the harsh realities of TV. ‘They interviewed me for about six hours, and I remember thinking as I walked out of the hotel to go home, “I’ve made it,”’ he told the Radio Times years later in an interview to publicise The Great British Bake Off. Unfortunately, this wasn’t to be the case, for the piece finally broadcast turned out to be about 30 seconds long. TV fame may have eluded him on this occasion, but little did he realise that some 20 years later he would be conducting interviews to promote a show that he, and all those involved, would be truly proud of.
Still in his late teens, he was nonetheless succeeding. Little wonder the Chester Grosvenor still has a special place in his heart all these years on. Whenever he is back in the northwest, Paul finds time to visit the hotel. ‘I loved it there,’ he has said. ‘I still go back there when I’m in town and have their afternoon tea. They’re good at doing the little touches so it feels like a real treat.’
But after some time at the Chester Grosvenor, Paul was ready to move on and eager for a new challenge. Next, he took up a job at Cliveden House in Berkshire. Cliveden was, and still is, considered one of the finest houses ever to be built in Britain. Originally designed by Sir Charles Barry in 1851 to replace a house destroyed by a fire, the three-storey mansion has a 400ft by 20ft brick terrace, an original feature dating back to the mid-seventeenth century. The exterior was given a major overhaul between 1984 and 1986, with the work carried out by the National Trust. Modifications include a new lead roof. This took place once the property was acquired by Blakeney Hotels (later Cliveden Hotel Limited) in 1984.
The takeover was driven by the company chairman John Lewis and managing director John Tham, who is married to the actress Jenny Agutter. They oversaw the restoration and refurbishment of the interior, filling the rooms with Edwardian antiques. Today the house is run in a similar style to when Nancy Astor was chatelaine. In 1990 an indoor swimming pool and spa treatment rooms were added within the confines of a pretty walled garden; a new 100-year lease was signed too. More bedrooms were converted, bringing the total to 37; two new dining rooms were also completed. It is considered one of the finest hotels in Britain and frequently listed as one of the most sought-after places to stay.
Among other claims to fame was the fact that it offered the ‘world’s most expensive sandwich’ – at an eye-watering £100 in 2007, the Von Essen Platinum Club Sandwich was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the costliest sandwich commercially available. The holding company for the Cliveden was later taken over by Von Essen Hotels, which later collapsed in 2011. Nonetheless, Cliveden was widely considered to be the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ and subsequently snapped up in February 2012 by Richard and Ian Livingston, owners of the well-respected London & Regional Properties. Together they sought to ensure the future of the hotel, placing it under the management of Andrew Stembridge from Chewton Glen, a sister hotel within the same group.
Nowadays the hotel’s motto is ‘Nothing ordinary ever happened here, nor could it’, which fittingly describes how this grand and spectacular establishment has come to be viewed. It was in 1961 in an outdoor swimming pool at Cliveden where former Secretary of State for War John Profumo met Christine Keeler, the reputed mistress of an alleged Soviet spy, leading to one of the biggest scandals in British history. Today the hotel’s sumptuous gardens make it ideal for weddings, for which parts are regularly hired out. Meanwhile, the house itself is in perfect condition, following a programme of renovation and redecoration. The property featured in the 2005 film Mrs Henderson Presents starring the Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench. Cliveden has been used as a backdrop for other works of film and television including the second Beatles film, Help! (released in 1965), where it stood in for Buckingham Palace. The main gates appear in the 1978 movie Death on the Nile, while Thunderbirds (2004) sees Cliveden used as the location for Lady Penelope’s house, Creighton-Ward Mansion. Literary works also refer to the house, including Daniel Defoe’s A Tour Through England and Wales, first published in 1726, in which he describes the first house.
So it’s fair to say that when Paul says he ‘baked at some of the best hotels in the world’, as he did in one interview with the Daily Mail, it is certainly the case. This particular job had come about thanks to a recommendation by one of his brothers, who was the hotel’s front-of-house manager. Just as in his early career, the latest move was courtesy of family connections. But it wouldn’t have just been the good word that his brother put in for him that would have seen Cliveden eager to recruit Paul: his new bosses would no doubt see for themselves that he was destined for success, almost certainly backed up by impressive references from previous employers.
Once Paul took up his new role at Cliveden, he was soon to receive the ultimate seal of approval: from the Royal Family. As he went about his day job, focussed as ever, he discovered Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother would be visiting the hotel. Word of the impending visit came via his colleagues, heaping on the pressure to ensure his baking was even better than usual. And, it seems he well and truly rose to the challenge. Upon tasting one of Paul’s scones, HM the Queen Mother was so impressed with its taste and texture that she made sure that her compliments were passed on to the chef. She went so far as to say that it was the best scone she had ever tasted. Not one of the best scones – the best. ‘The Queen Mother called my scones the best in the world,’ Paul told the Daily Mail in another interview. It was thanks to his brother that the message was eventually passed on. ‘I was working at Cliveden House and word reached me through my brother, who was one of the front-of-house managers,’ he continued. Other reports suggest that the Queen Mum may even have entered the kitchen herself to pass on her praise in person. Regardless of how he came by the news, it was high praise indeed and an experience he has never forgotten.
In fact, Paul’s scones may have been the reason why the Royal Family fell back in love with Cliveden. After changing ownership for years, it fell out of favour with Queen Victoria when purchased by Americans. And it seemed the Royals had all but turned their backs on Cliveden. That is, until the Queen Mother tasted Paul’s scones! From then on they would regularly return to the house for important engagements and functions. Paul, understandably, was flattered by the compliment being paid him, while also finding it funny. ‘The Royal Family had blackballed Cliveden for many years because Queen Victoria hated the fact that Americans – the Astors – had bought one of England’s finest homes,’ he explained to the Daily Mail. ‘The Queen Mum was one of the first to come back. All because of my scones? Well, I think the setting had something to do with it.’
It’s no mean feat that a boy from the Wirral had managed to eradicate years of antipathy from the UK’s most powerful family, thanks to his baking skills. For him this was definitely a career hightlight and and it was fast becoming clear that he was destined for great things – despite still being in his early twenties. It’s easy to imagine a certain buzz may have begun to surround his name in the world of high-end hotels and his reputation was starting to precede him. It would not be long before he moved on to yet another world-renowned hotel.
This time he took up an even bigger position at an even more prestigious hotel. Paul was recruited as the youngest-ever head baker at The Dorchester in London’s Mayfair, taking up the role at the age of 24. It is listed as one of the best hotels in the world – and, yet again, it has an incredible history to boot. The Greenwich Mean Time website explains how the luxurious five-star first opened its doors on 18 April 1931. A gala luncheon was held to mark the occasion, with a guest list from the cream of society, including the Foreign Secretary Sir John Simon, Lord Halifax, the BBC’s Lord Reith, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston, the Earl of Rosebery and Margot, Countess of Oxford.
According to one commentator the ‘colossal, pillarless Ballroom, with its mirrored walls set with sparkling studs, just as now, could accommodate a thousand in splendour’. And as such The Dorchester was immediately adopted for the grandest balls and parties of the elite – ‘The Dorchester soon became synonymous with all that was most fashionable in British society’. By the end of the decade, two new banqueting rooms, the Holford Room and Orchid Room, and a new bar had been added. Meanwhile, the barman became something of legend for his dexterity with the cocktail shaker. Examples of his Martini, White Lady and Manhattan were sealed into the wall of the new bar for posterity, to be rediscovered during building work in 1979 – apparently as good as on the day they were mixed.
Over the years generations of artists and performers have bequeathed something of their own flamboyance. The Oliver Messel Suite was a particular favourite of both Noël Coward and Marlene Dietrich; though waspish about the paintwork, Cecil Beaton embraced the view. Both Judy Garland and Duke Ellington made The Dorchester their London base, while Somerset Maugham made a point of staying there for two or three months every year. In the 60s even the Beatles found it hard to resist. But it is actors who have always been most charmed by the glitz and glamour of The Dorchester: among them, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, James Mason, Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Julie Andrews, Warren Beatty, Peter Sellers, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kim Basinger.
And with Paul in charge of the whole baking operation at The Dorchester, he had reached the peak of his profession. Not only was he overseeing the whole department doing something he loved, he was doing so at what many perceive to be the finest hotel establishment in Britain. As such, he regards his time at The Dorchester as being the pinnacle of his career. The responsibilities would almost certainly have been wide-ranging, with every day posing new challenges and tasks for Paul and his team.
One advertisement published recently on the internet for the same role at a different, but equally prestigious, hotel chain outlined the responsibilities and essential job functions expected of a head baker. The head baker would report to the executive pastry chef, who would oversee the whole baking. First and foremost, Paul would be expected constantly to deliver the very best customer service for the guests staying at the hotel, meeting their every whim and expectation. In addition, there would be routine examinations of produce to ensure that pastries, cakes and bakes were always fresh and to the expected standard. On a daily basis he would be expected to oversee the preparation of breads, rolls, muffins and other baked goods according to standard recipes; also to inspect products for quality and consistency, during and after baking. He would be tasked to make sure the right quantity of baked goods was being prepared and there was enough stock in the storerooms to fulfil orders. He would also be responsible for maintaining a high level of cleanliness across all work areas, utensils and equipment. The buck would also stop with Paul – so before any baked items were delivered to guests he would have to check them over to ensure they were up to scratch. All that in the course of just one day – he would certainly have his work cut out for him!
Despite the gruelling schedule, Paul saw his time at the esteemed hotel as the epitome of everything he has achieved. ‘I think I was at my peak when I was at The Dorchester,’ he admitted to the Radio Times. It’s a poignant comment, especially put in the context of the fact that he would go on to become one of Britain’s biggest baking stars. But in true Hollywood style, he has kept his feet firmly on the ground. In the same interview, the journalist commented that he waved his hand around at the photo shoot, which included some of the best photographers and make-up artists in the business, as his publicist hovered nearby, and said: ‘This [fame] is an illusion. It’s not real, it’s superficial.’
Perhaps there is one more story that might shed further light on why Paul was so enamoured with The Dorchester. This time he would be given the nod from another Royal: the Sultan of Brunei. The head of the oil-rich Arabic state would often stay at The Dorchester and, it appeared, he fell in love with one of Paul’s creations – salmon brioche. ‘During my time at The Dorchester Hotel in London, this brioche was a great favourite of the Sultan of Brunei,’ he would later reveal alongside the recipe in one of his bestselling cookbooks. ‘It’s fabulous when toasted and served on a bed of rocket salad, with lemon and dill vinaigrette. You need to make the dough the day before.’
With praise from such exalted fans you might imagine that it would all go to Paul’s head. Not so. He still remains the same down-to-earth character that he ever was, and says he finds it hard to come to terms with the fact that many people expect him to have changed. Also in his interview with the Radio Times, he said that he was sometimes reminded by his wife to take off the ‘tracky bums’ (tracksuit bottoms) before hitting the shops because he is now a celebrity. No matter how glamorous it may seem from the outside, celebrity and all its trappings is not, to his mind, so rewarding as making it at The Dorchester.
Despite working in some of the finest establishments in the world during the formative years of his career, Paul believes it’s important that baking isn’t seen as elite. While he may have baked for a number of Royals, he wants everyone to see the art of baking as accessible. ‘Over the years I’ve been head baker at the Chester Grosvenor, The Dorchester and Cliveden, and I’ve baked for the Royal Family,’ he told the Sunday Express, ‘but now I want to get the nation baking. It’s for everybody – it crosses gender and class. I come from the bottom of the industry, so if I like it, anybody will.’
It’s fitting that his ethos is so focussed on opening up baking to everyone and anyone who wants to get involved. While he may have baked at some of Britain’s finest establishments and for some of the world’s most important people, baking shouldn’t be seen as divisive. It’s something that anyone can get involved in – and Paul’s story proves just that. From humble beginnings he came to be the baker of choice for Royal families from around the world. ‘My mum is very proud of me,’ he admitted while talking to the Radio Times. But perhaps understandably, when Paul returns home it seems people treat him differently, maybe a little overcome by his success. ‘Back home I go into a pub, and people stare at you for a long period of time. Which up north is a sign of aggression,’ he has revealed.
Regardless of this, Paul will always know that his baking was fit for a King… or rather, a Queen Mother and a Sultan. And let’s be honest, how many people can say that?