Originally from Poland, Mr Skomerski moved to the island in 2016 when he was poached to run the kitchen of a new restaurant in Guernsey.
He has been head chef of the tapas bar in Town since it opened.
‘I was just lucky,’ he said.
‘I met Dave, the previous owner of Red, in Poland and he asked if I would be interested in moving abroad.
'In that time of my life, I really needed a change, so it was great.’
Born and raised in the Polish countryside, Mr Skomerski said he grew up with a family of farmers where food and ingredients were a large part of life.
He started working in hospitality at the age of 15 and always preferred the back of house. His inspiration stemmed from his late father, who was head chef in the Army and died when Mr Skomerski was 10.
‘He was always the head chef at home as well, I loved helping him in the kitchen,’ he said.
‘I remember finding a black-and-white photo of him surrounded by his Army colleagues.
'He was the only one in white, with his tall hat and I thought “Wow, it must be nice to be a chef” – that was soon a reality-check.’
Tinto’s longest-serving chef said he values the freedom to experiment with its menu. With a love for Asian cuisine, he concocts fusion surprises to spice up the specials’ board.
‘I never had ambitions to be a Michelin star chef because Poland didn’t have the training,’ he said.
‘That’s why I came here. The executive chef of our company, Christophe, was, I think, the only person in Guernsey with a Michelin star.
'He’s an old-school French chef and he guided me. I learned a lot from him.’
Mr Skomerski was awarded his title at the hospitality industry’s annual People Awards dinner.
‘I feel shy and humble,’ he said.
‘It’s amazing, but I won’t let it make me arrogant.’
His prize included a trip to London last month with his partner, Xheni Cako.
The UK Craft Guild of Chefs arranged a behind-the-scenes tour of Tottenham Hotspur's stadium at White Hart Lane, including the kitchen and media areas.
They presented him with a medal and trophy and took the couple to dinner at a top Indian restaurant with members of the UK Craft Guild of Chefs.
‘We went to the Spurs stadium,’ said Mr Skomerski.
‘It was massive. They showed us how they handle 65,000 covers with all their machinery – made me realise how tiny my Tinto kitchen is. It was really nice.
'I was expecting to meet egocentric chefs like Gordon Ramsay, but they were actually very lovely people, so welcoming.
'We ended up in a pub playing darts until midnight.’
With no plans to leave, Mr Skomerski said he finds satisfaction in making his local customers happy.
He said he has developed good friends from regulars and enjoys the personal, friendly feel of the small Tinto hub.
‘I really enjoy cooking for my friends at home, too,’ he said.
‘I like the knowledge that being a chef has given me.
‘Even if I’m no longer a chef, I will always have the skill and passion to cook.’
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