On Friday we held our beer tasting and tapas night for the brewery.
With the evening starting at six we had been preparing all week and were all set for people to arrive.
By half six there were almost 30 guests enjoying the beer and food. We had labelled 100 beer bottles for people to try and by 7pm over half had been drunk. But the reserve bottles came out and there was plenty beer to go around.
A photographer from the local paper turned up to get some photos and everyone was having a great time. All together there were over 50 people at the event and the beer went down well getting good ratings from those drinking it. Dryfe Blonde number two, 5%, was the favourite.
There was some good interest from the locals in shares and we have more names on the list. There is definitely a buzz around the prospect of a local brewery.
Let’s hope our next event in Lockerbie in the New Year goes just as well!
Saturday night we all went out for our staff meal at The Balmoral Hotel.
It was a lovely meal for starters myself, Jessica and Lindsey had Breaded Brie wedges with red currant jelly and small salad garnish, Alannah had leek and potato soup and Michael had prawn cocktail Tom decided he just wanted a main.
Tom had Scampi and Chips, Alannah had beef brisket, Lindsey had Fish and Chips and myself, Jessica and Michael had Ribeye Steak one with stilton sauce and the other 2 peppercorn sauce.
The drinks were flowing and all discussing how well Friday night went and don’t think it could have gone any better.
There was a couple of puddings consumed also.
We then left and went to The Stag Hotel for some Karaoke which was a lot of fun.
We do enjoy our staff get togethers.
We have over 40 relief chefs working; this is up on last year by around 10 – 15.
We are hosting a beer tasting evening tonight between 6pm and 10pm at our office at Sunnybrae for the ale’s Tom has created, we have 4 to taste and quite a few people coming.
We will be interviewing relief chefs from Tuesday 9th January onwards for work next season. Please get in touch with a copy of your updated CV and reference details and we can then check our availability in the diary.
We are getting quiet a few permanent chef jobs for next year so pop over your CV to recruitment@chefsinscotland.co.uk if you fancy a new challenge.
Out at the moment
Douglas ‘Denzil’ Gillies is a Cartland Bridge Hotel working as relief Head/Sous Chef and will be there into the new year.
Scott McKenzie is at Mackays Hotel in Wick.
Henry Samms and been helping on odd days at Angus & Ale in Aberdeen.
Jenny Quashie is getting on extremely well at Buccleuch and Queensberry Hotel in Thornhill.
Gordon McNeill is at Creggans Hotel in Strachur.
Michael Pallister is at The Dunavon Hotel in Aberdeen.
Dale Paton is back working at Bridge of Cally Hotel in Perthshire.
Alan MacPherson and Lillian Clarkson are both helping out at The Queens Hotel in Oban.
There are lots of chefs waiting to start their relief jobs for over the festive period.
Thanks again for all your hard work.
We have 44 chefs out working, this time las year it was 27.
Lots of relief jobs confirmed this week (18 so far)
We have been meeting chefs here at our office in Moffat for relief work next season.
We still have some spaces left if you are looking to come and have a chat either for relief or permanent work.
I am still keen to get some of your availability for working over Christmas and New Year.
Relief work will go quieter in January and February this is a good time to get rested before another busy season ahead.
Booked out at the end of November
Dale paton at Cray House in Perthshire.
Sarah Pozzi at Wheatsheaf in the Borders.
Shaun Murray at Gables in Gretna.
Michael Pallister at Lythe Care Home.
Alan Macpherson at Queens Hotel in Oban.
Pete Norrie at Lythe Care Home.
Mark Carswell at Hebridean Princess.
Stephen Falloon at Grant Arms in Grantown on Spey.
Dom Kelecius at Grant Arms in Grantown on Spey.
Lauren McConnell at The Bungo in Glasgow.
Ionel Rizea at The Scores Hotel in St Andrews.
Steve Ali at The Crannog in Stirling.
Dale Paton at Bridge of Cally in Perthshire.
Henry Samms at Angus & Ale in Aberdeen.
Thanks all for your very hardwork.
Head chefs
There are head chef candidates in central Scotland if paying good money more than £30,000 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 £30,000 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 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.
There are more chefs becoming available as the season is now finished although most chefs arent looking for new jobs until after the festive period. We do 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 £25,000 to £27,000.
In central areas such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling can try live-out and there are a few relevant chefs. In rural Scotland, including Dumfries and Galloway, Aberdeenshire and Perthshire it can be harder to get candidates and there are very few candidates available depending on the package in place.
Suggest wages of £28,000 upwards to £30,000 plus for 2 AA and 3AA Rosette sous chefs.
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 and central belt. Quality can be mixed. In rural Scotland with accommodation there are a few candidates if wages are decent, suggesting £9 to £11 per hour.
The availability of chefs who are looking for more rural jobs such as Fort William, Inverness-shire and West Coast is limited 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.
Availability of Relief Chefs changes daily and we can advise.
There are 40 relief chefs out working which is 17 up on last year.
With Christmas fast approaching, we are still waiting on some of you to get in touch with your festive availability.
Double time is payable on Christmas Day and New Years Day.
Relief jobs have been coming in steady this week with 10 jobs filled so far.
We have also met a few chefs at our offices in Moffat. If you are thinking of doing relief work next season, please get in touch with your CV and references to jojo@chefsinscotland.co.uk
Looking back to this time last year
Sarah Jeffrey was booked to go to Aysgarth Falls – currently at Duisdale Hotel
Mark Murray was at The Kingsmills Hotel – currently working at a permanent job in Edinburgh
Ally Bell was booked to go to The Wheatsheaf – currently working at a permanent job close to his home
Allen Jack was booked to go to The Stotfield Hotel – currently at Ben Nevis Hotel
Daniel Haig was booked to go to the Grant Arms Hotel – he has just finished at The Victoria Hotel and is booked for over Christmas
Derrick Bartley was at The Old Manor Hotel – currently still working at Loch Melfort Hotel
Shaun Murray was at The Cross Keys Hotel – just finished at The Gables Hotel
Mark Shaw was at Auchrannie Resort – currently waiting on his next assignment
Glyn Musker was at The Morritt Hotel – currently travelling back home to Crewe to return to Turriff at The Kastille
I would like to thank all relief chefs for their hard work over what has been a very busy season hoping some of you are enjoying a little down time before your next job.
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