Wednesday 5th February 2014
Business is brisk.
We had our first ever board meeting last Thursday and covered what needed to be covered in one hour.
Colin Fraser chairs the meetings and Mark Wildman, Operations Manager and myself attend.
The next board meeting is on Thursday 27th of February at 6.30pm. Thereafter, we will hold the meetings on the last Thursday of each month. If anyone wants to have a question or topic that pertains to our business brought up please email over to:
Well into double figures for adverts for the week and we have several substantial head chef positions on our books which we are recruiting for also.
We are still struggling to get enough sous and CDP candidates for rural rosette establishments. For non-rosette establishments there are some decent candidates coming through.
Mark is dealing with chef de partie and sous chef recruitment, working with myself
Johanna who has now been working here in the Moffat offices for almost four years continues as relief chef manageress working with Mark and myself.
Mark has worked at mainly hotels in rural Scotland over the last three years and has been a chef for over twenty years after his studies in Lancaster.
For commis chef positions, we will encourage adverts applying directly but should be able, between the three of us, to do some permanent recruitment also.
Out and About
I have a rare venture out of Dumfriesshire at the week-end for Paul Burnside’s surprise 50th birthday party at The Classroom in Nairn, which was very busy with the hands on owner Willie Lean keeping himself very busy working hard and keeping the show on the road. Paul himself, was looking well for his half century and was surrounded by his two young children, and Jordan who is in his thirties, wife Agnieska and many family and friends including his brother Mark who organised the whole event. I left about half ten keen to get a good sleep back in Inverness before getting the train back down in time for some office time on Sunday to catch up. Inverness was looking well and I hope to get back up soon and perhaps have some more time there to meet up with old friends.
Number 1 himself, Paul Waters, was in past for a visit yesterday checking to see how we were getting on. Paul seems to be fairly ageless and has been a constant in this business going back fifteen years, keeping us straight, asking questions and going about his work in a solid, professional manner and bringing nothing but credit to us and to himself. It is appropriate that Paul has got in the first question to be raised at the next committee meeting.
Steven Cameron is back at Castle Hotel Huntly on relief, Mark Wildman’s first ever relief placement last week and one which the owners were more than happy with having had Steve work there for more than five years after one relief job placement.
Sara-Jayne Moffat is a young lady who we have not met, but who has been excellent on the couple of short term jobs that she has done. Sarah-Jayne has taken a month’s work at Ingram Wynd in Glasgow and the feedback is very very hard working chef. Many thanks and all the best at your seasonal job on the Royal Scotsman Train.
Douglas “Denzil” Gillies is back up for a stint on Shetland along with other notables including Roger Brown, Michael Njoroge and Vytis Baltrunas spent a good couple of weeks at Brae Hotel whilst we recruited a new head and sous chef.
OK, that will do for this week; I will get this up on our website and Facebook along with all the other recruiters. I hope there will still be a couple of chefs on the tools for what is shaping up to be our busiest ever year.
Many thanks for your continued support and patience
Michael in Moffat
Friday 24th January
January is a five week month on our system. Five Fridays to work, this is the fourth one and one more to do.
Work has been sticky, a bit like treacle this week, making a few pushes forward then a couple back and ever increasing competition.
We have set our stall out for an increase in turnover of 20% this year.
How are we going to achieve that?
By turning up and working away. By taking on a new Operations Manager Mark Wildman who is working away well, 2pm and back onto “Arranging Interviews” then hopefully get some more relevant applicants out along with some phone calls and new adverts this afternoon. Mark is settling in well and enjoying himself I think and touching base with those that he has worked with in his few years working the circuit in Scotland.
Phil Smith who has been over on relief at the Oban Caledonian for about eight months now, finishing up shortly and heading off for some sunshine in Abu Dhabi and then hopefully another good season of work.
Sean Angus who worked up in Tongue for a month last year on relief before spending a good amount of time in Oban as well at The Queens Hotel. The Queens have had one of Scotland’s best known chefs in there for a few months and hopefully will have his name up in lights soon.
Andy Mill who is over on Mull and still working away there.
The phone call came in from The Three AA Rosette Michelin Star chef Marcello Tully this morning regarding a chef who Mark had put over and Mark instantly knew what it was all about. Mark worked at eilean iarmain over on Skye next to Kinloch Lodge where Marcello is the chef director. Hopefully a placement may be made.
Out and About
Whilst we are kept more than busy with permanent recruitment, it is currently quiet on relief as is to be expected for January, although I do expect it to pick up next week as there is an ever growing list of sous chef jobs which are not being filled instantly.
Down in Lockerbie Frank McDonald is working at The Dryfedale since last week before being joined next week by Number 1 himself Paul Waters who has completed a good stint in the Scottish Borders at Collingwood.
David Ironside “Boss” as his mate Darren Spence likes to call him is working just over the Border in Carlisle. I hope that 2014 is a great year for you David and all the best. Darren and David were up in Glasgow before New Year at The Status Quo concert head banging away. Hopefully no permanent damage was done and I am still due David and Jason Keenan a pint in Kirkcudbright if I can make it over that far and they are both at home.
Jason is on his second stint with us at Auchrannie on Arran and is having his job extended, like he did in the first job. Cheers Jason.
Up on Shetland Sharon Shearer is working away at Scalloway Hotel. Sharon was down at Oban before and over New Year and has an excellent record on both relief and permanent.
Kevin Eassingwood has completed his week at Glensander Quarry by Oban and is now back to his full-time job at Fortingall Hotel in Perthshire. (CIS placement of course)
Kenny Black is working away in Montrose at the Links Hotel whilst they undertake permanent recruitment. Alongside Glenn Richards home from the North Sea for a few weeks and Peter Firth, down from Skye.
OK half past two, time to get this up and get back to hunting through the databases and try to get a couple of chefs placed.
Many thanks for your continued support and patience
Michael
Wednesday 15th January
Stating the obvious but that is us two weeks into January. New Year is nod a rapidly distant memory and not shaken anybody’s hand for some time or wishes them all the best for 2014.
Credit Control
“Hi Mark
Hope you are well and all the best for 2014. Can you pleas3e check in invoices 3847 and 4578 show up as paid on your system please”
I have now dropped the all the best for 2014. Mid-life diplomacy skills.
Out and About
Remarkably , it has been quite a busy start to the year on relief.
New man Jason Keenan who stays over in Kirkcudbright is up working away over on Auchrannie with Chefs In Scotland stalwart Paddy Farren. Jason came over to meet at our offices with his wife Coleen last week and this is his second job via us after a very good opening stint at The Links in Montrose alongside Lillian Clarkson.
Gordon Smillie is also working at the Links Hotel after another good spell at Palm Court in Aberdeen alongside the famous Sebastian Schoeder (spelling) if anybody notices this is wrong please let me know. Cheers Gordon and be happy to catch up.
Jason Paxton is back at the Waterside in Peterhead working away and seems to get on very well whenever he goes out on relief and is often asked back which is always a good sign.
Ian Telford is back up on Shetland after Christmas and New Year at home with the family. Quite a few good chefs out via us on Shetland at the moment.
Michael Njoroge and Roger Brown at the Queens and Denzil Gillies heading up to Shetland hotel in a few days time for another stint.
Many thanks guys, I have not been to Shetland although our new man in the office Mark Wildman was up there at Sumburgh Hotel a few years back.
Johanna Watson, almost into her 4th year at Chefs In Scotland, is looking after relief jobs and commis chef jobs. jojo@chefsinscotland.co.uk
Mark Wildman the Operations Manager is looking after sous chef and chef de partie jobs.
I am looking after head chef recruitment Michael@chefsinscotland.co.uk
So a busy start to the year and day three we are all working away and there has been no violence of yet and very few sweary words directed about.
So, looks like being a busy year for us and we are keen to meet more head chefs and relief chefs down here in Moffat if anybody is able to come down, be happy to see your Cvs, take up work references and then invite you to meet us.
OK, I am going to post this up and move on as plenty of work to do.
Many thanks for your continued patience and support
Michael in Moffat
Wednesday 4th December 2013
The sun shines brightly over Moffat on a particularly cold winter day.
I have been interviewing and testing this week for the new position of Operations Manager at our offices and have made an offer today. Hopefully in January, some new and very relevant blood will be added to our offices.
Scott Hilton, worked on a graduate trainee scheme and spent over seven months working here and did very well. Scott has headed down to Manchester now and I wish him well in the future. We would gladly have him back to work in our offices.
Chef Work 2014
As usual, we will be recruiting for Executive chef, head chef, sous chef, the elusive chef de parties, commis chefs, and pastry chef position in 2014. I expect the demand for chefs to be particularly high in 2014 due to a variety of factors:
The demand for chefs this year has been high as tourism continues to play a strong part in the overall economy.
2014 will see Glasgow hold the Commonwealth games and also in September, Gleneagles plays host to the Ryder Cup.
It remains to be seen how high the demand for chefs will be and for how long it will last, but I am expecting the rates for relief chefs to increase from April next year at the latest through to October.
Out and About
As of Saturday when we do the weekly management statistics, we still had over twenty chefs that we were charging for working throughout Scotland.
Michael Njoroge is finishing up before Christmas at The Queens Hotel in Shetland to spend time at home with his family in Perth. All the best for 2014 Michael.
“Moja, Mbili, Tatu, Ne, Tano”
“hasabu ni tena”
Up in Nairn, we managed to place Ritchard (correct spelling) MacPherson at the Classroom in Nairn, courtesy of some information via facebook. Ritchard is married with plenty of children to feed.
Meanwhile, up in the Scottish Highlands Will Furlong is holding the fort at Kincraig House Hotel, now aided by Peter Norrie.
Banchory way, Chris Brant is working over at Tor Na Coille, helping the new head chef settle in.
Gordon Smillie is back this year working in Aberdeen at Palm Court on relief over the winter period.
In Edinburgh Billy Alexander has now over a month under his belt as relief sous chef at The Edinburgh Apex Hotel.
Down in the Scottish Borders, Tom Devlin is working alongside well known Scottish chef Brian Crawford, at The Cross Keys in Kelso.
Rene La Barre is up in Torridon in the very north west, working away at The Three Rosette Torridon Hotel.
Roger Brown is up on Shetland with Michael Njoroge. All the best Roger.
Jason Keenan, during his first outing with Chefs In Scotland continues to work away at The Links Hotel in Montrose and hopefully he will get a pint with David Ironside at some point over the festive period, perhaps in Kirkcudbright at The Masonic.
Lillian Clarkson has finished another two month stint at The Links and will be awaiting a call.
I expect the phones to get busy in the next week as plenty of relief jobs come in.
OK, I think that will do for now.
I will get this up and head up to the gym for thirty minutes to work off any excess eating on my part.
Many thanks for continued support and patience
Michael in Moffat
apologies, there having been little news posted on the website of late, it has all gone onto facebook.
We are still kept busy here at work with some relief work coming in in dribs and drabs, interviewing chefs and still for the operations manager to work here next year at our offices in Moffat.
Still time for some tapas and wine in nerja in Spain also.
Hopefully, we will have the apartment ready to rent out over in Crocketford by Christmas.
Available for short term of 4 days over Christmas for £250 or £400 for the week.
anybody interested please email me Michael@chefsinscotland.co.uk
Other than that as we are, I will try to get this posted up on a more regular basis or should we just put the news up on facebook? any thoughts.
right, I am interviewing a gentleman in ten minutes who has travelled up from London, so I will get ready for that.
Michael in Moffat
RSS