Head chefs
There are quite a lot of 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 until a relevant local candidate becomes available.
In rural Scotland and particular 2AA Rosette country house hotels there are some relevant 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. Borders, Aberdeenshire, Dundee, 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 lots more chefs available now as we approach the 2018 season. For seasonal positions especially, we do advise paying an hourly rate of pay of £13-£16 per hour with accommodation provided depending on location. This will attract candidates.
Sous chefs
If it is a live-in position for 3 or 4 star hotel suggest paying £24,000 to £27,000.
In central areas such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling can try live-out and there are relevant chefs. In rural Scotland, including Dumfries and Galloway, Aberdeenshire and Perthshire it can be harder to get candidates and there are good 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 £11 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 good in Glasgow, Edinburgh and central belt. In rural Scotland with accommodation there are 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 are some chefs looking for live in accommodation or chefs 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
Lots of bodies available. Enclosed link to minimum wages.
We are suggesting thinking outside the box when it comes to chef retention. This could be ideas such as one weekend of a month; working 4 or 4 and a half days per week; overtime after 48 hours worked per week or end of season bonuses
Availability of Relief Chefs changes daily and we can advise.
We have 16 chefs out so far this week with 40 out in total.
The weather hasn’t been the best and not for the start of March.
I really appreciate the commitment from you all for trying your hardest to get to jobs when the weather was so bad. Its looking more like spring in Moffat today 😊
The availability of relief chefs is still decent and are all ready and raring to go.
Again if you are known to us please get in touch with availability or any holidays you may have planned.
Chefs out
Stuart MacColl was at The Mustard Seed Restaurant in Inverness
Steven Beckett was at Go Glasgow Urban Hotel
Mark Bellingham was at Springkell in Eaglesfield
Sam Bernard was at Cawdor Tavern in Inverness-shire
Sarah Jeffrey is at Grant Arms in Grantown on Spey
Roo Edwards is at The Dunavon in Aberdeen
David Young is at Pentland View Care Home in Thurso
Gareth Connelly is at Caladh Inn in Stornoway
Glyn Musker is at Black Bull Hotel in Lauder
Steve Nye is at La Piazza in Carluke
Taylor McFarlane is at Golf View in Nairn
Thanks to all relief chefs for your hard work
We have 16 chefs out so far this week with 40 out in total.
The weather hasn’t been the best and not for the start of March.
I really appreciate the commitment from you all for trying your hardest to get to jobs when the weather was so bad. Its looking more like spring in Moffat today 😊
The availability of relief chefs is still decent and are all ready and raring to go.
Again if you are known to us please get in touch with availability or any holidays you may have planned.
Chefs out
Stuart MacColl was at The Mustard Seed Restaurant in Inverness
Steven Beckett was at Go Glasgow Urban Hotel
Mark Bellingham was at Springkell in Eaglesfield
Sam Bernard was at Cawdor Tavern in Inverness-shire
Sarah Jeffrey is at Grant Arms in Grantown on Spey
Roo Edwards is at The Dunavon in Aberdeen
David Young is at Pentland View Care Home in Thurso
Gareth Connelly is at Caladh Inn in Stornoway
Glyn Musker is at Black Bull Hotel in Lauder
Steve Nye is at La Piazza in Carluke
Taylor McFarlane is at Golf View in Nairn
Thanks to all relief chefs for your hard work
7th March Thoughts from Spain
We made our way out from Manchester airport last Sunday, not quite three days after the original planned departure from Glasgow airport, which was cancelled amidst the late winter snow in Scotland and much of England.
It can take a couple of days to get into the rhythm of life in this part of the Costa Del Sol; silly little worries about a couple of defunct light bulbs and a broken toaster.
Waking up this morning, the sun had decided to come out and the sky was blue.
Lindsey and myself made a list of small errands for the little apartment, a “pueblo” at Capistrano Village in Nerja. We drove down, parked up next to Beijing Bazaar and had soon got our chores done for the day. We plan to collect the car tomorrow.
The beach at Torrecilla still has debris from the recent weather, unusual for the Costa del Sol; plastic bottles, broken bamboo sticks and cans sit on the high water-line. We sit and soak on the sun, with others welcoming some gentle heat.
The Tapas as ever helps, a couple of new Bars to go with old favourites; Sevilla and Rotunda where a glass of nice white or red Rioja can be drunk with a choice of gambas, queso, patatas con aioli, jambon de seranno and so much more.
Tonight there is some classical music at the community social hub at Capistrano where I attended by first Annual General Meeting yesterday. I kept by hand down when invitations were asked from the floor for new Committee members. Enough. The average age would be 70 plus. All nice people, polite and mainly comfortable.
Later, we will walk down to Irish Annie’s where my sister in law’s friend Jackie is playing music.
Tomorrow, Manana can wait.
Michael and Lindsey in Nerja
Well this weather has sent to try us all.
On the plus side we are at 39 chefs out this is still up on last year and I think last years weather was some what different to this (BEASTFROMTHEEAST) you have a lot to answer for.
We are all set up to interview chefs mid week next week.
Still lots of CV’s getting sent out unfortunately Jessica and Tom have had a lot of rearranging interviews which hopefully will now take place next week.
PLEASE Please take care out there when going to and from jobs (if your able to get at all)
Relief has been a lot quieter this week with 10 jobs out this week so far, a lot of hotel have closed as the staff can’t get to work and also deliveries can’t get thorough.
Chefs I got out last week are as follow
Scott Macintyre at The waterside Hotel in Inverness
Liam McLafferty at Mackays Hotel in Wick
Ed Stankaitis at The Pierhouse in Port Appin
Robert McGowan at Onich Hotel in Lochaber
David Carroll at Fishers Hotel in Pitlochry
Lillian Clarkson at Nethy Bridge in Inverness-shire
Bobby Ainsworth at The Albert Hotel in Orkney
Paul Wenbourne at Bridge of Orchy Hotel in Argyll
Mick Kitson at Onich Hotel in Lochaber
John Ferguson at Muckrach Hotel in Dulnain Bridge
Joe Balloch at Popinjay Hotel in Carluke
Ignas Narijauskas at Kastille in Turriff
Gordon Wright at Cartland Bridge in Lanarkshire
Josh Tippett at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness
Jenny Quashie at Daffodil in Cumbria
Thanks everyone for all your hard work and this week especially your determination to get to your work.
A very busy week - 19 relief chefs out and 37 adverts placed so far.
Michael has been in the office while Jessica has been on annual leave, he has been looking after head chef sous with both tom and Michael getting lots of CV’s sent out and interviews arranged.
We have met a couple of chefs this week for relief work.
Relief work is now picking up, so if you are known to CIS and have availability please get in touch with your dates.
Out and about this week is
Gary Williamson was at Glenesk Hotel in Edzell
Ryan Williamson is back at Dram in Glasgow
Saurav Kumar worked last weekend at The Winking Owl in Aviemore
Paul Sellers is at The Cross Keys Hotel in Kelso
Donnie Lamont is back helping at Cuillin Hills Hotel in Skye
Glenn Richards is at Victoria / Esplanade Hotels in Rothesay
Jason Paxton is at Go Glasgow Urban Hotel
Mark Carswell is at Scores Hotel in St Andrews
Zander Yuill is at La Piazza in Carluke
George McCallum is at Inverlochy Castle near Fort William
Ionel Rizea is at the Old Mill Inn in Pitlochry
Blair Mackay is at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness
Thanks all for all your hard work 😊
�Bȯ���7 ҹN1�
A very busy week - 19 relief chefs out and 37 adverts placed so far.
Michael has been in the office while Jessica has been on annual leave, he has been looking after head chef sous with both tom and Michael getting lots of CV’s sent out and interviews arranged.
We have met a couple of chefs this week for relief work.
Relief work is now picking up, so if you are known to CIS and have availability please get in touch with your dates.
Out and about this week is
Gary Williamson was at Glenesk Hotel in Edzell
Ryan Williamson is back at Dram in Glasgow
Saurav Kumar worked last weekend at The Winking Owl in Aviemore
Paul Sellers is at The Cross Keys Hotel in Kelso
Donnie Lamont is back helping at Cuillin Hills Hotel in Skye
Glenn Richards is at Victoria / Esplanade Hotels in Rothesay
Jason Paxton is at Go Glasgow Urban Hotel
Mark Carswell is at Scores Hotel in St Andrews
Zander Yuill is at La Piazza in Carluke
George McCallum is at Inverlochy Castle near Fort William
Ionel Rizea is at the Old Mill Inn in Pitlochry
Blair Mackay is at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness
Thanks all for all your hard work 😊
�Bȯ���7 ҹN1�
RSS