The Early Seasons Turn
January and there were quite a lot of jobs and lots and lots of chefs looking for either permanent or relief jobs. Was it always like this?
Moving into early February and the early season turn is almost upon us.
The jobs will continue to come online for the season, albeit spread about much than in years gone by.
In 2000 when I got into recruitment seriously I think that in Scotland there was Brian at Clarke Staff Agency, a lady called Dee Cooper who gave out phone numbers, Stafffinders and we all bought the caterer and hotelkeeper religiously on a weekly basis.
We were called Skye Recruitment in the year 2000 and I would have a list of all my jobs which I wrote some stuff on like wages, chef position, location, accommodation and a little spiel about the job and would either read out to chefs looking for work or email over the list to them.
I think the gumtree was starting down in London, just one gumtree and you could advertise on it for free and maybe get an Australian chef or a kiwi chef available and ready to go anywhere. Sometimes they stuck in a job, sometimes they didn’t.
Facebook was just a flicker in Mark Zuckerburg’s imagination and in the main job advertising was done in expensive journals or newspapers. £120 plus it cost me to advertise in the West Highland Free Press for two head chefs on Skye, one for the Isles in and one for the Portree Hotel. The advert got no response which is hard to think about now. A head chef job which gets no response. Crazy.
We had one job in North West Scotland for the season on our website recently and the owner got 40 applicants. Changed days.
The Early Season Turn.
SLF}��K$�With around 25 relief chefs currently out working this number is up on last year.
There are a few relief jobs coming in.
We will be keen to meet relief chefs in the New Year. We have met John Taylor this week and Dale Paton just popped in this morning on his way to Auchen Castle.
Out working just to name a few is Sarah Pozzi at The Alexandra Hotel with Graham McLeish as Acting Head Chef, Jenny Quashie is still up in Wick at Mackays Hotel, Jamie Atkinson is at Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness where Stuart MacColl and Mark Murray are just starting, Sara Jayne Moffat is at Duisdale Stephen MacNiven is just finishing to take a permanent post as head chef at The Moorings Hotel in Fort William, John Wood is over in Shetland for a 4 month stint and Kevin MacAngus is also in Shetland, Alan MacPherson was up in Thurso at Y Not then to Ardvasar Hotel in Skye and then will be going back to Loch Insh Watersports, Bobby Ainsworth is currently at the Stag Bistro in Forfar and Jason Keenan is at the Easterbrook Hall in Dumfries.
Thanks for your continued support and hardwork.
������� �2�As we come to the end of the season relief is starting to quieten down now.
There are still over 75 chefs out working which is well up on previous years.
We had a visit from Alan MacPherson, Phil Smith and Graham Smith who were here to play golf with Michael. Was nice to see you all again. And thanks for the lovely presents.
I am looking forward to going on holiday on the 24th October for 1 week to Tenerife.
A few out just now are –
Mark Shaw at Scalloway Hotel, Tim Morris at Knockomie House Hotel, John Thomas Wilson at Killiecrankie, Graham McLeish at Alexandra Hotel, Thomas Scott and Stephen Falloon at Rowardennan Hotel, Jason Paxton at Cawdor Tavern, Kirsty Hamilton at Grant Arms Hotel, John Wood and Grant Buchanan at Ardvasar Hotel, Robert Pollock at Park Dean Holidays, Graham White and Wayne Ingram at Y Not Bar & Grill, Ian Hoey at Go Glasgow Urban Hotel, Sara-Jayne Moffat at Dovenby Hotel, Colin Thomson at Radnorshire Arms in Wales.
There are many more chefs out working and doing a great job.
Thanks all for your continued support and hard work.
I am still looking for some of our relief chefs availability for over the festive period, double time is payable on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
I look forward to hearing for you
We have over 65 relief chefs out working which is up on last year’s statistics.
We will start slowing down as we reach the end of October.
Some chefs out and about at the moment are
Alan Baird at Ramnee Hotel, Tim Morris at Old Manor Hotel, John Thomas Wilson at Killiecrankie Hotel, Richard Booth at Cromdale Visitor Centre, Bobby Ainsworth at Ben Loyal hotel, Stuart MacColl at Ben Alder EstateDean Taylor at Dark Island Hotel, Stephen Kessell at Grant Arms Monymusk, Derrick Bartley at Cumbria Park Hotel, Robert Pollock at Mustard Seed, Dale Paton at Eddrachillies House, Phil Smith at Nethy Bridge Hotel, Pawel Halicki at Summer Isles Hotel, Mark Murray at Nethy Bridge Hotel, Kirsty Hamilton at Links Hotel, Sarah Pozzie at Kirkcudbright Bay Hotel, David Ironside at Loch Ness Lodge Hotel, Sara-Jayne Moffat at Scalloway Hotel, Jamie Wilson at Victoria Hotel, Ionel Rizea at ducks Inn with a lot more out.
Thanks all for your hard work and continued support.
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