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Derren Strowger of Hospitality & Leisure Recruitment provides a market snapshot for chefs and kitchen crew. Amid the political and economic maelstrom of the last 12 months, how has demand for candidates stood up and how has this impacted on salary levels?
A lot of kitchen brigades were decimated by the recession, reflecting the drop in sales at many restaurants and hotels. That said, the three and four-star hotel market benefited from the slump in demand for five-star luxury as customers were looking to spend less. Mid-market branded and independent restaurants performed well regardless (and continue to do so), again reflecting the decreasing depth of customers' pockets. Fine dining restaurants have been and are quieter, but regular patrons for these establishments tend to be recession-proof!
A noticeable side-effect of the tougher economic times has been the increased requirements for kitchen brigades to 'multi-task' and chefs being able to cover all areas.
Chefs: Head Chefs
| Min. | Max. | Typical | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 star hotel London <100 beds | |||
| 5 star hotel London >100 beds | |||
| 4 star hotel London < 100 beds | |||
| 4 star hotel London > 100 beds | |||
| 5 star hotel outside London < 100 beds | |||
| 5 star hotel outside London > 100 beds | |||
| 4 star hotel outside London < 100 beds | |||
| 4 star hotel outside London > 100 beds | |||
| Branded Restaurants | |||
| Independent Restaurants | |||
| Fine dining restaurants |
Most of the larger corporate hotel companies have strengthened their internal recruitment teams over the last year, and a lot of operational roles are dealt with internally. The first six months of the last 12 have been quite static, with little movement at the top end, demonstrating senior chefs' reluctance to move. Gradually there have been more opportunities becoming available as businesses get involved in long-term planning once again. Furthermore, in the hotel market, a lot of chefs are waiting in anticipation of the influx of new properties that the Olympics will bring.
Indeed, with 2012 on the horizon London will inevitably be a big focus next year, with multiple hotel and restaurant openings scheduled across the capital. But such initiatives are far from limited to the South East. More and more companies are starting development plans now, opening new sites, looking to expand once more and take advantage of low interest rates. Recruitment increases for head of department roles is in many cases a direct result of this renewed activity and sense of anticipation.
In terms of the roles themselves, head and executive chef levels have remained stable and are seen as crucial roles in the kitchen. But, due to the lack of 'junior' talent coming through kitchens and the reluctance to increase brigade cost, these senior chefs are being required to be a lot more hands-on.
In comparison with many head of department roles the senior roles are well paid. Bonus structures are common for head and executive chefs. There are a small number of companies that offer executive packages, but more typically however, benefits packages comprise bonus, pension schemes and company discounts. More junior roles tend to enjoy most of these benefits, with the exception of the bonus scheme.
Chefs have been very much tasked with focusing on their cost base over the last 12 months. Food wastage and staffing levels have been pretty much micro-managed. Most of the bonus schemes are sales-based, and as a result have been pretty non-existent. But, this is gradually starting to change as the economy begins to thaw out.
