I read this very interesting article about being a mum and being a chef.
Although I have no children I have always admired chefs who have been able to have it all although it looks like such hard work. Being a chef takes its toll as it is on your life, your relationships and your health. Having children on top of all of that must be very hard although rewarding.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/mar/19/how-hard-is-it-to-be-chef-and-a-mum-with-young-children-helene-darroze-margot-henderson
I have now been a member of the Chefs In Scotland team for a year. In the last year, I have slowly been building up my confidence and knowledge in placing chefs. I have learnt that there is no magic wand when it comes to chef recruitment and that a lot of work does go in to placing a chef. It was never anything I gave much thought to, prior to working in the chef recruitment industry.
The process of placing a chef can be frustrating at times but it is certainly a rewarding feeling when you do manage to place a chef. I have recently placed a chef de partie on the Isle of Harris (even more rewarding seeing as I am from there! :) )
When a new position is registered with us and the establishment wants us to source a chef, there is a thorough process that we use to ensure we have the best chance of sourcing one. Firstly we would add the job to our list of establishments that are currently asking us to look for a chef as well as putting the position on our website and our social media. I am currently dealing with commis chef, chef de partie and pastry positions and that is my daily list and Jessica has sous chef and head chef positions on her list. We then put a pin up in the wall to set our focus on the area, have a look through our database using different filters to ensure all areas are covered. We would then write down any necessary candidates and call / email them to ask if they are interested and would they like to be put forward. It is then sending over CV’S and references to the establishments, marking them in our CV sent book and waiting to hear back if they would like to progress.
Placing a chef can take a lot of searching, a lot of calling/email and a lot of fall downs but in the end it is all worth it!
ixe �S%- FWith Easter just around the corner the availability of relief chefs will get tighter.
We are happy to get new relief chefs registered, all you need to do is email over your CV to jojo@chefsinscotland.co.uk providing reference details, we will then give you a call to get you registered.
Still happy to meet chefs at our office in Moffat, just get in touch and we will let you know our availability.
Out and about Alan MacPherson is into his 3rd month at Loch Insh Watersports Centre, Mark Shaw is over on Arran at Auchrannie, John Taylor is at The Dryfesdale Hotel in Lockerbie, Sarah Pozzi is up at Duisdale Hotel, Graham Smith is at Caladh Inn in Stornoway, Lillian Clarkson is at The Bothy Bistro in Burghead, Chris Daily is at Skeabost hotel, Jenny Quashie is still in Wick at Mackays Hotel, Mark Murray is in the Borders at The Dryburgh Abbey Hotel, Ben Mailer is at The Lodge at Carfraemill where Billy Steele is still working, Stephen Kessell will be finishing at Eden Court Theatre, Gareth Connelly is at The Newton hotel in Nairn along with Craig Brown, Steve Moffat has just finished at Ballachulish Hotel, Michal Buczkowski is at the Tongue Hotel, Chris Roberti is at The Gartmore House, Sarah Jeffrey is at Burts Hotel and Colin Thomson and Stuart Palmer are also in the Borders at The Wheatsheaf Hotel.
Thanks all for your hard work and continued support.
Well the last weekend in February and relief has certainly picked up.
If you would like to register for relief work then please email jojo@chefsinscotland.co.uk with an up to date CV and contactable work reference quoting RELIEF2017.
Once we take references we would then invite you to meet at our offices in Moffat.
We are meeting Don Craig again next week; he has just completed 19 months in Shetland at the Lerwick Hotel. Well done for sticking it out Don!
David Ironside is going to The Burnett Arms and then he will be starting a part time job working in a Care Home, thanks for all your hard work David and good luck in your new job.
Craig Brown is finishing at the Burts Hotel where he was placed as a relief chef de partie and was quickly appointed as a permanent Sous Chef.
Kenny Bruce has extended his stay at The Caledonian Hotel as Acting Head Chef.
Stuart MacColl is back at The Bridge Hotel in Buttermere then going back the The Kingsmills in Inverness for 3 months as Sous Chef.
Sara Jayne Moffat has done a few jobs on relief and got on very well, she will be starting her new post at the Four Seasons Hotel as permanent Sous Chef.
Thanks all for all your very hard work and continued support.
Here is to a very busy 2017 season.
I have now been back at the Chefs In Scotland offices for 4 weeks and have found myself getting back into the swing of things in regards to sourcing chefs for all over Scotland. I have found that when any positions are being registered in places such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen area etc – the candidates are coming flooding in. The amount of interest in working in the cities is a considerable amount. The amount of applications we get for the more rural areas in Scotland is considerably less. I myself being born and bred on the Isle of Harris, can understand that living and working in rural areas isn’t everyone’s idea of where they would like to work. We get a lot of jobs registered in rural areas and find that there is always positions available in these areas. When I am doing a search on the database for a rural area – at times there are very few candidates that would like to be placed in that kind of location which can be frustrating (especially on a day like today when it’s only lunchtime and my printer has broken down!) yet I have still managed to get 4 CVS out for rural areas and 2 adverts. What is everyone’s thoughts on working in rural areas? Do you currently work in a rural location and can’t imagine working in a city?
Alannah Morrison
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