Franz Hacker celebrated his last day by jumping into the hotel pool as his colleagues toasted his retirement with champagne.
Mr Hacker first worked in the early 70s, but after returning to his native Austria, came back in 1979 as head chef at La Place Hotel.
‘I first came here for a season and liked it and stayed on. It was great in those days, and it still is,’ he said.
‘There were a lot of continental chefs in those days. It was like a big family. And the summers here were nice, and even the winters. I can’t knock it.’
Three years later, he took up the job in charge of the kitchens at St Brelade’s Bay Hotel, confirming Jersey as his permanent home.
‘Time flies, ten years, twenty and all of a sudden you’ve done 37 years.’
After chatting with other colleagues about his last day at work, Mr Hacker decided it would be fitting to jump into the hotel pool wearing his chef whites.
He said he will miss the camaraderie of working in a busy kitchen.
‘I’m very lucky to have a good team and it is always great when people are happy with the food you produce.
‘When a wedding or function goes well or even when two people are happy, that’s what I enjoy about it.’
