Chef’s Kiss-Off

at

There is a chronic shortage of chefs in Ireland, restaurant owners say

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ news:

…Four in ten tourism and hospitality workers claiming the Pandemic Unemployment Payment did not return to their pre-pandemic employers, with many moving sectors and others returning to their home countries abroad.

“The pandemic has had a profound impact on the industry’s skill base, with a mass exodus of workers into other industries that reopened earlier,” said Paul Kelly, chief executive of Fáilte Ireland.

The issues are particularly acute among chefs, with 88% of employers reporting they are having “considerable difficulty” recruiting them.

Estimated 40,000 vacancies in tourism sector (RTE)

RollingNews

Alamy

Sponsored Link

Related posts:

How Many? Is There A Letter In Your Bag For Me? Uncover Division Bell [Updated]

38 thoughts on “Chef’s Kiss-Off”

  1. Janet, dreams of an alternate universe

    do you know, the few times I have eaten out…you can tell, downhill slide

    1. Dougall

      As a chef unfortunately with margins as they are restaurants cannot pay the rates a plumbing company can
      It’s so labour intensive.
      Hence factory produced produce becoming more and more common ,hence the quality is going down.
      So prices will have to rocket 25% so restaurants can pay their staff a decent wage
      Watch boiling point and understand the pure hell kitchens are as the pressure mounts as kitchens try and cope with the stress of service
      Long unsociable hours massive stress getting hundreds of meals out as perfect as possible in a short space of time

  3. paul

    it’s almost as if people in hospitality didn’t want to earn rubbish money while being treated like crap.

  4. Sara

    Crap wages, split shifts, zero respect from the owners of restaurants and hotels, who could blame them for leaving?

  5. SOQ

    I wonder if there is any stats on the number of eastern Europeans or indeed any anywhere else who have returned home? It certainly is not being reflected in the rental market.

    1. Micko

      Really? I would have thought a lot of food industry folks went to their home countries when the hospitality sectors didn’t reopen here in summer 2020, like it did in most of Europe.

      Perhaps a lot went and found jobs in other sectors if they are still here?

      1. TenPin Terry

        Well my Slovakian handyman and good friend went home during the first lockdown with his wife and kids and won’t be returning.
        I Zoom them regularly to see how they’re getting on.
        They’ve worked out that the higher wages in Ireland are swallowed up by some off the highest living costs in Europe and now they’re back home the lower cost of living cancels out any benefits of returning here.
        Plus they’re not subjected to racism on a weekly basis.
        Shame. He was a great worker and a credit to his country.
        Years ago when I was doing a fair bit of building we shipped everything from Poland out here via one of his mates who ran a regular van service – my raw material costs were about 50% lower than they were here. Stuff like double-glazing and fancy doors were ridiculously cheap and much better quality.
        I might do it again when the inevitable property crash happens.

  6. Gavin

    Food industry here has always been treated as a second-rate job, whereas in mainland Europe it’s seen as a respectable profession, always surprised when I see people in their late 50s serving food abroad, here its seen as a job for kids.

    1. Janet, dreams of an alternate universe

      this, and woe betide you should you slight your waiters in Paris at any rate

  7. goldenbrown

    and why should they? hopefully they simply woke up to the fact they’re mostly treated like serfs

    many food and drink business owners I know personally are getting what they deserve here, fupp them and their cheap backstard ways

    paying pittance, stealing tips, “contractor” shenanigans and a lot of disrespect whilst expecting silver service competence? GTF you cheap fuppers cos it’s a reset and your riding time is over

    if you can’t afford to do your thing properly, if your only way to get your margin is to play at FFG minimum wage jobs slavery then don’t

    have a word with Adrian, maybe he can help you figure it out Paul, gobsheen

    LOL

  9. TenPin Terry

    Cheap East European labour gone home ?
    Locals don’t want to do the crap jobs for poor wages ?
    And to think everyone blamed Brexit for all those things happening in the UK …

    *** permits himself a snigger ***

  10. Trustin Judeau

    Cant raise wages without raising cost to consumer which drives restaurants out of business, race to the bottom unfortunately, for the most part the cheapest shop wins.

    Cutting VAT for restaurants might allow them to pay staff better?

    1. Sara

      If you cut the VAT, wages won’t increase, but the owner’s profit will. The last VAT cut did not see any increase in hospitality wages. Owners are always playing the poor mouth.

      1. Dougall

        Always the employers .? Try looking at landlords while you are at it Look up the percentages,
        They are on the internet.
        A well run restuarant will yield 5 to 10% net profit per year then take the corporation tax into consideration accountant fees insurance compliance in health requirements .utility bills ,rent ,borrowings ,constant requirement for equipment plates cutlery cleaning .
        As for the taxman employers PRSI VAT duty of alcohol ,then table tax then late night licence costing €700 per night

      3. Cian

        Get rid of USC? Would you re-introduce the health levy and income levy too? USC is much fairer to the lower paid than what it replaced,

  13. Doxxy Chainsaw

    I heard a segment on Matt Cooper where the owner of Hugo’s was complaining her Maitre D now works in construction and a sommelier is now a rep driving the country and all his training is gone to waste. If construction work is a better option than working in a supposedly top class restaurant, something is very wrong in the hospitality sector.

    1. Rob_G

      ” If construction work is a better option than working in a supposedly top class restaurant, something is very wrong in the hospitality sector.”

      I am not sure that this is the damning indictment that you think it to be; anyone who is not a complete liability on a site is coining it in the building trade these days.

        1. goldenbrown

          LOL

          they are in their bllx

          I know blocklayers earning more than “cloud engineers” nevermind catering staffers

    2. Broadbag

      The owner of Hugo’s complaining!? Well I never!

      It’s a miracle if 24 hours go by without her moaning on the radio.

Comments are closed.

Broadsheet.ie