News

Chef Recruitment 2026

Chef Recruitment into 2026

For the first two months of 2026, we expect it to be a very very strong employers’ market for recruiting chefs.

The availability of both permanent and relief chefs will be pretty good.

What sort of wages to pay to recruit permanent chefs?

Head Chef we suggest rates from  £18 to £25 per hour for usually a 40 hour week with accommodation available at no charge to the chef if needed.

Sous Chef we advise on paying anything from £16 to £22 per hour, again with accommodation if needed.

Chef de parties can be anything from £15 up to £18 per hour.

Commis chefs would suggest the national minimum wage at £7.55 up to £12.71 for 21 years and older from April 2026. This varies according to age.

There are several ways that you can recruit chefs via CIS.

Johanna Watson is the Relief Chef Manager.  

Ian Godfrey is the Permanent Chef recruitment Consultant.

Both can offer to place adverts also or you can post directly on our website.

www.chefsinscotland.co.uk

I can also help with permanent recruitment, although due to personal choice, this is done via email and messenger, no phones.

You can email michael@chefsinscotland.co.uk for a quote, help and direction or phone Jojo and Ian on 01683 222830 and 01330 476782 respectively.    

The View Cafe Shuts

It is a regular occurrence for there to be news of a hotel or restaurant or café shutting down, yesterday it was The View in Aviemore.

According to the Strathspey & Badenoch Herald, the café has gone into liquidation with Begbies Traynor, taking over dealing with what remains.

Begbies Traynor, despite sounding like a lost shoe from Trainspotting, are a leading business recovery, financial advisory and property services consultancy.

The twelve employees were given one day’s notice and will have issues regarding pay, holiday pay, and pensions.

Meanwhile, in Yorkshire, the Punch Bowl Inn in Burton has been bought over by a community group, who have raised £298,000 towards purchasing and keeping it open.

It does seem quite possible to raise large amounts of money for Hospitality projects, from the private sector of from public monies via grants.

Some of these ventures do meet with success and reasonable longevity such as The Old School Hub and Café, not so far from here, at Eskdalemuir.

www.eskdalemuir.com

What was a primary school, which shut it’s doors to pupils in 2004, has now been open again and trading for over a decade and providing several great amenities to the 250 plus locals who stay in the valley, a shop, a café, a music venue and gallery. This is a charitable organisation.

With increasing costs, which are well documented, for many businesses in Scottish Hospitality, there will no doubt me many more companies shutting down, either with or without good notice, in the coming year.  

Committees, who may have people on board, who come from a strong background in accessing private and public money, can be a viably different approach to what are often sole traders or limited companies in the private sector.

Good luck to the twelve employees who have lost their jobs a week shy of Christmas and hopefully they will not be long in finding their next paths in 2026.  

Out and About 5th December

Out and About 5^th December

We have 28 relief chefs out working that we are charging for.

Relief is quieter and the work that is coming in will be given as priority the chefs who have worked all season and who are known to us.

You can still register though please email CV’s to jojo@chefsinscotland.co.uk

Ian has permanent positions available if you would like to find out more please email ian@chefsinscotland.co.uk

We would love to hear where your best placement(s) have been and if you would like to share any photos

Here are some of the chefs we currently have out

Nastasia Costinea has just finished at The Angus Hotel, she will he back home for the winter and return in March – Thanks for all the great stints this year 😊

Stuart Jackson and Colin Thomson are both at Stonefield Castle Hotel

Thomas Barney has just finished at The Isles Inn Portree

Thomas Mclean is still working away at The Skeabost Hotel

Scott Maciejewski is back at Ness Walk

Didier Nemiesien is back on the circuit and is at the Melrose Hospital

Stuart Agnew has taken over from John Derrick at Armstrong’s Restaurant

Thanks once again for all your hard work and continued support :)

Out and About 28th November

Out and About 28^th November

We have 18 relief chefs out working from the Moffat Office that we are charging for.

Relief is quieter and the work that is coming in will be given as priority the chefs who have worked all season and who are known to us.

You can still register though please email CV’s to jojo@chefsinscotland.co.uk

Ian has permanent positions available if you would like to find out more please email ian@chefsinscotland.co.uk

We would love to hear where your best placement(s) have been and if you would like to share any photos

Here are some of the chefs we currently have out

Michael George and Thomas Scott are both extended at Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

Andrew Westwood and Mark Carswell are at Tor Na Coille Hotel

James Pratt is at The Braided Fig

Stuart Maccoll is at Skitby House

Jamie Macdiarmid is at Kniopch House

John Ferguson is at Castle Craig Hospital

Michael Young is at Old Manse of Blair

George Alexandru is at The Ythanview Hotel

Thanks once again for all your hard work and continued support :)