With demand for skilled hospitality professionals continuing to outstrip supply, CHEF consultant Andrej Prokes, former Executive Sous Chef at The Ritz London and Sous Chef at The Fat Duck in Bray, suggests that supporting new talent now will help turn around the skills crisis for the kitchens of tomorrow.
“Can there ever really be too many cooks in the kitchen? Not from where I’m standing. As a chef, it saddens me to learn that nearly a third (31%) of people don’t think hospitality is a career path that you would actively choose. *
In fact, the scale of recruitment needed within the industry is huge. Talent management expert, People 1st, has estimated that 1.3 million hospitality workers will need to be recruited by 2040. **
“Yes, being in the kitchen is a busy, demanding career choice, but it is a career worth pursuing none-the-less. Attracting and retaining people – of all ages – comes down to promoting positive perceptions of the industry and helping to develop and nurture individuals that are working in it.
“For us at CHEF that means not just supplying the right product solutions in the kitchen, but also supporting apprentices and students. These are the key ingredients to plugging the staffing gap and helping to support long term careers within the industry.
“As part of Nestlé Professional, CHEF is involved with the Toque d’Or competition to cultivate fresh new talent in the industry. The competition supports apprentice and student progression by celebrating fantastic skills.
“Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or is more than just a competition, it offers participants real-life challenges that educate and push them as part of a series of unique experiences that bridge the gap between the classroom and the reality of the industry.
“Given the right support today, these ‘raw ingredients’ are truly the best recipe for a brighter future for those working in the kitchens of tomorrow.”
The CHEF range of All Natural Stocks give chefs time back to create even better dishes, and enable them to be truly creative. Find out more about CHEF restaurant solutions at www.nestleprofessional.co.uk/CHEF or call 0800 742 842
* BuzzBites: Talking Talent (survey of 1,600 participants), 3GEM in collaboration with Nestlé Professional, August 2017
** People 1st, Migrant Workers in the Hospitality and Tourism Sector and the Potential Impact of Labour Restrictions, April 2017
