In 1938 the holidays with pay act was introduced which entitled working class people to 1 week’s paid holiday per year and this saw a big influx of holiday camps such as Butlins. In 1970 the entitlement was increased to 3 weeks and currently In the UK we are currently entitled to 28 days paid holiday per year. At the end of the 19th century most people had no paid holidays except bank holidays. The Trade Union first began to campaign for a paid holiday for workers in 1911. In the 1930s, paid vacation time became a very important issue for workers and it wasn’t until 1938 that the holidays with pay act was introduced.
Until the late 19th century holidays were only for the wealthy and it wasn’t until the bank holiday act was introduced in 1871 that working-class people got a few holidays each year. In the early 19th century everyone had Sunday off. In the 1870s some workers began to get a Saturday afternoon off. In the 1890s most workers gained a half day holiday on Saturday and the weekend was born. Most people couldn’t afford to go away for a week’s holiday so it was mostly days away to the seaside to places like Brighton and Blackpool.
Compared to other countries here in the UK we get a very fair holiday entitlement. In the US there is no holiday entitlement and it is at the discretion of the employer to give holiday which on average is 10 days for 1 year of service. In Canada workers get 16 days holiday, France and Iceland get 36, Australia 30 and Kuwait gets a massive 43 days paid holiday each year.
What would you do with 43 days holiday?
Relief chefs that are out working is increasing and is up at 86 this week - 15 up on last year and only 14 away from hitting our target of 100!
Relief has been a bit of a struggle this week with lots of chefs being kept on in their current relief positions, but still managing to get 22 out this week so far.
Relief positions can prove difficult sometimes but all we ask is you go in, keep your head down and complete the stint you are booked for.
We have now just passed half way through a very busy season and all relief chefs - whether you have just registered with us this year or from the beginning of Chefs In Scotland back in 1998, have been going out all over Scotland and England and providing a quality service which does reflect on our reputation as Scotland’s Premier Chef agency. I have now been here for 7 and a half years and have a good rapport and understanding of our relief chefs and I am able to give good background before sending them out to match jobs to their abilities, sometimes though this isn’t the case and it’s just sometimes getting someone in to help fill the gap.
I am now away to fill jobs we have in September.
Thanks all for you continued support and very hard work 😊
I am pleased to announce that Thomas Barr from Moffat, a graduate in Accountancy from Dundee University, has agreed to join Chefs In Scotland Limited with remit to develop the brewery in Lockerbie, alongside other Special Projects.
Thomas has recently completed returned from his studies in Canada where he completed a
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Certificate at Mohawk College.
Thomas will start with us in early September and will be working on getting planning
permission completed at the premised in Well Street in Lockerbie, being
involved in the works to the property and working with myself to get the
Prospectus ready for investors.
This is an exciting project.
Out and About Friday 11th August 2017
Looking back on when we first started keeping a record of relief chefs we have out, in 2010 there were 54 chefs out working and each year this has increased slightly as of today there are 82 chefs out working which is up by 28 chefs. We would like to get up to 100 chefs out by the end of the season.
Our chefs work all over Scotland, Northumberland, North / South England and Wales.
This is a great opportunity to see the UK.
Relief rates are £11 to £17 per hour, paid weekly with no charge for accommodation you also get return travelling expenses subject to completing the agreed stint.
If this is something you would like to be considered for then please email over your CV to recruitment@chefsinscotland.co.uk quoting RELIEF.
We also like to meet the chefs we are sending out and we are available at our office in Moffat just get in touch to check our availability.
For those who are already out and may be coming to the end of your contract please let me know your finish date and your next available date.
10 chefs out working at the moment
Paul Sellers finished his stint at Craigmonie Hotel and is now working over at The Collingwood Arms Hotel in Cornhill-on-Tweed.
Lillian Clarkson is still at The Laroch Restaurant in Ballachulish.
David Ironside is working with Jason Paxton and Alan MacPherson at Loch Insh Watersports.
Graeme Kennedy is back at Carfraemill with Billy Steele.
Andrew Hughes is in Fort William at The Tavern Restaurant.
Alex Burns is at Fernhill Hotel in Port Patrick.
Ally elder is at The Bridge Hotel in Buttermere.
Ryan Williamson is back at Burts Hotel.
Peter Mallia is at The Dryfesdale Hotel in Lockerbie.
Scott Bolton is at The Old Manor Hotel with Dixon Chireri.
Keep up the good work ladies and gentlemen 😊
Availability of Chefs 9th August 2017
Head chefs
There are head chef candidates in central Scotland if paying good money in excess of £28,000 and upwards for head chef jobs.
In rural Scotland including Inverness and all the highlands and islands, there are a few head chefs and we advise offering accommodation with permanent head chef jobs to attract candidates. Otherwise you may have to wait some time until a relevant local candidate becomes available.
In rural Scotland and particular 2AA Rosette country house hotels relevant candidates are scarce. Skye, Shetland Islands and rural Argyll there are candidates if paying good money (about £35,000 for 2AA Rosette head chef)
Suggest paying £28,000 upwards to £40,000 according to requirements and demands of the job. Ideally we advise for a five day week and over-time paid on a pro rata basis for extra days worked and for hours in excess of 48 on a pro rata basis.
Northumberland, Borders, Cumbria, Aberdeenshire, Dundee and East coast, and Perthshire there are quite a few Head Chefs registered.
The more central, the more candidates you will expect to get and the more rural, the harder it can get.
With all the social media currently available, many chefs are becoming very savvy about where they wish to work and establishments with records of poor chef retention may find it harder to attract good quality permanent candidates. Scotland is quite a small country.
For seasonal head chefs advise paying an hourly rate of pay of £14-£16 per hour with accommodation provided depending on location. This will attract candidates which may be of mixed quality.
Sous chefs
If it is a live in position for 3 or 4 star hotel suggest paying £24,000 to £30,000.
In central areas such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling can try live-out and there are a few relevant chefs. In rural Scotland, it can be harder to get candidates and there are very few candidates available depending on the package in place.
2AA Rosettes there are very few available. Suggest wages of £25,000 - £28,000 upwards to £30,000 for 3AA Rosette sous chef.
A good way to attract candidates is to pay hourly rates for every hour worked by chefs. For sous chefs suggest £12 to £14 per hour this will help to attract and retain good candidates. If paying salaried, we suggest five day week with overtime pro rata over 48 hours.
Chef de parties
Availability is ok in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perthshire and central belt. Quality can be mixed. In rural Scotland with accommodation there are a few candidates if wages are decent, suggesting £9.50 to £11 per hour.
The availability of chefs who are looking for more rural jobs such as Fort William, Invernesshire and West Coast is poor although there may be some chefs looking for live in accommodation that may be happy to relocate.
If paying by salary £19,000 for a 45 hour week works out £8.11 an hour which is on the low side. Suggest paying up to £22,000 with live in accommodation at a small charge. We would hope you will get decent candidates with this.
Commis chefs
Very few bodies available. Enclosed link to minimum wages.
www.minimum-wage.co.uk/
Availability of Relief Chefs changes daily and we can advise.
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