A classic pub with an emphasis on food, reimagined in the heart of Margate by Billy Stock and Ellie Topham.
Billy Stock
Chef Co-Owner, The Wellington
Billy Stock, 35, is a chef and restaurateur originally from Lewisham, south London and now living and working in Margate, Kent.
His interest in cooking began at the age of 15, when his family moved to Normandy, where he worked in a local boulangerie. It was here that he first encountered a culture rooted in produce and seasonality, an experience that continues to shape his approach to food today.
He went on to train at Westminster Kingsway College, working at Tate Modern during his studies, before moving through London kitchens including Salt Yard, as chef de partie.
Billy then spent two years from 2012-2014 as chef de partie at St. John, where he developed a lasting influence from the restaurant’s nose-to-tail philosophy, sparking a deep interest in whole-animal butchery and traditional techniques.
He later worked at The Marksman, and as sous chef at Rochelle Canteen from 2017-2018, further refining a style grounded in simple, ingredient-led cooking.
Billy opened his first pub, The Rose in Wickhambreaux, Kent in 2021 which was recognised in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs, reaching number 68.
He then became head chef at restaurant & wine-bar Sète, in Margate, where he led the kitchen to national recognition, earning a place in the UK Top 100 Restaurants at the National Restaurant Awards.
During 2025, Billy and his partner Ellie Topham ran popular Nashville fried chicken pop-ups in London, Margate and Deal, all the while looking for the perfect location for a permanent venture together.
In December 2025, they found it, opening The Wellington in Margate’s Old Town. A British pub with a strong influence from classical French cooking, the restaurant focuses on seasonal produce, an evolving menu, and a considered approach to sourcing and preparation.
At the heart of Billy’s cooking is a commitment to whole-carcass butchery, which is carried out in-house at The Wellington. This approach reflects both a respect for the ingredient and a desire to minimise waste, with the entire animal used across the menu.
His food is defined by simplicity, depth of flavour and restraint, with technique applied thoughtfully rather than overtly. The result is cooking that is generous, precise and rooted in both British tradition and French influence, served within a setting that balances relaxed hospitality with careful attention to detail.
