It's been a busy festive season for chef and restaurateur Eric Paxman – but then, that’s just how he likes things!

“I can’t switch off,” he admits. “It’s my livelihood and I end up thinking about the business 24 hours a day! But I like to have things just right.”

Having his own restaurant has been a lifelong dream for the award-winning chef, so it’s understandable that he’s determined to make a success of it.

And realising his ambition hasn’t been easy.

Eric’s Restaurant opened its doors at Lidget Street, Lindley, in November, 2010. The premises had already served as a restaurant several times over, but the previous occupant had left and Eric decided the building needed a whole new look.

“I had been looking for suitable premises for about two years,” says Eric.

“I looked at well over 100 properties and I had considered taking the site in Lindley on two previous occasions. The second time I was beaten to it. But it’s been third time lucky. I think it must have been fate.”

He says: “We stripped the building right back to its bare shell and created an inviting space.

“We opened up the downstairs area and upstairs we turned what looked like a house into a restaurant.

“A friend of mine who is an interior designer helped create the look, but I also had a lot of input myself. We turned it into something that’s quite different to anywhere else.”

Says Eric: “We also made sure we got the branding right. I brought a marketing company on board to make everything professional.

“If I’m going to do something, it’s either all or nothing!”

Having put his own stamp on things, Eric says business at the restaurant has been “fantastic” and Lindley has proved the perfect location.

“We are in a great spot,” he says. “I don’t think we could have picked a better location. It’s a busy community and has easy access to the motorway.”

Eric says the key to success for any business is to get the product right.

He says: “I had run a busy restaurant before, so I had a pretty good idea of how things are supposed to run!

“But you only learn by experience and this is a very different establishment to where I worked before. The clientele are also different.

“I developed a menu based on my own experiences. I’m Huddersfield born and bred, so I know what people in Huddersfield like. I use local produce, which people also appreciate – but I do things with a twist!”

Eric certainly seems to be doing the right things. Since it opened, Eric’s has received various accolades and awards and is currently the North East's Regional Restaurant of the Year as voted for by readers of the Good Food Guide.

The restaurant has also made its debut appearance in the renowned Michelin Guide – while the venue was judged New Business of the Year in the 2011 Examiner Business Awards.

Even as a pupil at Rishworth School where his strong subjects included science, art and design, geography and English – cookery was his forte.

Eric trained as a chef at Huddersfield Technical College, where he gained a distinction – and now counts some of his ex-lecturers among his regular customers.

At the age of 18, he set out to work in London at Marco Pierre White’s famed L’escargot. Eric’s time there allowed him to develop his craft, learning from Marco’s fine and classical style, although he was working well over 100 hours a week.

After four years putting time in as head chef for a local restaurant, Eric travelled the world, gaining further experience from working in different kitchens. In Sydney, Australia, he worked under Bill Grainger for his three restaurants. Bill, familiar to viewers of BBC 1’s Saturday Kitchen, has been a huge influence on Eric and his restaurant.

“Working overseas broadens your horizons and life experience,” says Eric. “The beauty of my industry it that you can take it anywhere in the world.”

Returning to the UK after three years, Eric took up a position as restaurant general manager before embarking on being his own boss.

Eric’s Restaurant has also been expanded – with Eric converting the former greengrocer’s shop next door into a relaxing bar area. And Eric says: “It has grown ever since. “We have a three or four weeks’ waiting list every weekend and we have also started outside catering, which is going very well. We are already booked for 20 weddings next year.

“I would like to add another restaurant somewhere, but I have seen it happen so many times where a business expands and things start to go wrong. I wouldn’t like that to happen here. Having my name on the door is what matters and the customers like to see me.”

When Eric does got time away from the kitchen and the tables, he values the time spent with his partner, Michael, whom he describes as “my rock and my best friend”.

And he adds: “I love eating out and when I do get the chance, I like to travel.”

Eric has seen the tourist sights of New York and Rio, but rates San Sebastian in Spain as his favourite get-away spot. “The food there is fabulous,” he says. “And it has the best beach I’ve ever seen.”

Role: Owner

Age: 34

Family: Partner Michael

Holidays: I’ve been to New York and Rio as well as Europe

Car: BMW

First job: Comis chef at Bradley’s during my training at Huddersfield Technical College

Best thing about job: Seeing happy customers

Worst thing about job: Paperwork – I hate sitting at a desk

Business tip: You have to be committed to the job and you have to give it your all

Work: Restaurant and outside catering

Site: Lindley

Phone: 01484 646416

Email: eric@erics restaurant.co.uk

Website: www.ericsrestaurant.co.uk