It is nearly two weeks until Christmas and the weather is certainly grim. A lot of shops, houses and roads have been damaged during storm Desmond which hit last week. The weather doesn’t show any sign of breaking with black clouds hanging heavy over the Moffat hills as I look out of the office window. Hopefully this weather will not affect the upcoming festive season for all our hard-working chefs out there. Drive safe and hopefully this weather hasn’t affected any of the hotels and restaurants too badly.
This week at Chefs In Scotland we have been busy making placements all over Scotland including Port Appin, Inverness, Isle of Skye, Fort William and over in the Borders. Most of these placements are starting at the end of December and into the New Year 2016 and it is hard to believe that will take me into my 9th month of working here. So far for me the most rewarding thing about working at Chefs In Scotland is making the permanent placements as it is nice to have a part in the career choices that Chefs make.
Lots of establishments are already looking for permanent staff for January, February and even March 2016. So if you are looking for a change in the New Year please get in touch and we can have a look and see what jobs would be relevant to you.
For now it is time for another search on the database for positions that have recently been registered to get those ever important permanent placements.
Jessica
Head chefs
To attract a good quality of head chefs in the central belt, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perthshire suggest paying in the region of £28,000 – £30,000 live-out with overtime paid after 48 hours.
For more rural areas of Scotland including Aberdeen suggest paying a minimum of £30,000 with live in accommodation at no charge (or minimal charge) and overtime after 48 hours. Also suggest putting concise, achievable bonuses in place. If you can do this you should expect to attract a number of relevant candidates.
For 2-3AA- Rosette chefs suggest paying £30-40,000 with live-in option and overtime after 48 hours, this should attract stable and good quality candidates.
For pub chefs suggest paying at least £26,000 depending on location with live-in option available.
Sous chefs
Availability of sous chefs in central belt is good. If you are in a central location such as Glasgow or Edinburgh and you pay an hourly rate of £11-13 per hour or £22,000 with overtime after 48 hours you will attract a number of candidates.
For 2-3AAR suggest paying £24-30,000 with live in charged at a minimal rate, especially for rural areas including Aberdeenshire.
Chef de partie
The availability of chef de parties for central areas such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth is good. Suggest paying an hourly rate of £9-11 per hour paid weekly to attract good candidates.
To attract chef de parties for more rural locations suggest having live-in accommodation and charge a minimal rate or free. Ideally Wi-Fi and TV will be available and meals whilst on duty. Suggest also to look at being more innovative with time off such as one weekend off per month and three nights off per week.
Good quality Training systems provided can also help as well as day release for college also.
Commis chef
Availability of commis chefs is reasonably good if there are good quality training and systems in place. Suggest paying minimum wage which is £6.70 if the chef is over 21 and £5.30 if they are over 18. Or put in a salary in of between £13,500 and £15,000 with accommodation to be charged at a minimal rate or free.
Relief chefs
The availability of relief chefs is good at this time of this will remain. Hourly rates of pay apply with relief from £12 - £16 per hour, clean single accommodation at no charge and return travelling expenses subject to completing the agreed stint.
We are near the end of November and will be expecting relief work to start picking up for over the festive period.
Radek Micia and Shaun Murray are back helping out Trevor at Burts Hotel, Vytis Baltrunas is back helping out at Cawdor Tavern. Having a good season this year is Roger Brown, Lillian Clarkson, Paul Crawford, Alan MacPherson, Ryan Williamson, Paddy Farren, Ionel Rizea, Tim Morris, Stuart MacColl, Allen Jack, Jonny Lewis, Scott Russell, Steve Moffat, Jamie Atkinson, Scott Mckenzie and lots more.
Thanks to you all for all your hard work.
Still keen to meet relief chefs if we have not already this would take place at our office in Moffat and lasts for up to 45 minutes.
Ideally we would like to have met all our relief chefs.
Head chefs
To attract a good quality of head chefs in the central belt, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perthshire suggest paying in the region of £28,000 – £30,000 live-out with overtime paid after 48 hours.
For more rural areas of Scotland including Aberdeen suggest paying a minimum of £30,000 with live in accommodation at no charge (or minimal charge) and overtime after 48 hours. Also suggest putting concise, achievable bonuses in place. If you can do this you should expect to attract a number of relevant candidates.
For 2-3AA- Rosette chefs suggest paying £30-40,000 with live-in option and overtime after 48 hours, this should attract stable and good quality candidates.
For pub chefs suggest paying at least £26,000 depending on location with live-in option available.
Sous chefs
Availability of sous chefs in central belt is good. If you are in a central location such as Glasgow or Edinburgh and you pay an hourly rate of £11-13 per hour or £22,000 with overtime after 48 hours you will attract a number of candidates.
For 2-3AAR suggest paying £24-30,000 with live in charged at a minimal rate, especially for rural areas including Aberdeenshire.
Chef de partie
The availability of chef de parties for central areas such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth is good. Suggest paying an hourly rate of £9-11 per hour paid weekly to attract good candidates.
To attract chef de parties for more rural locations suggest having live-in accommodation and charge a minimal rate or free. Ideally Wi-Fi and TV will be available and meals whilst on duty. Suggest also to look at being more innovative with time off such as one weekend off per month and three nights off per week.
Good quality Training systems provided can also help as well as day release for college also.
Commis chef
Availability of commis chefs is reasonably good if there are good quality training and systems in place. Suggest paying minimum wage which is £6.70 if the chef is over 21 and £5.30 if they are over 18. Or put in a salary in of between £13,500 and £15,000 with accommodation to be charged at a minimal rate or free.For more rural areas of Scotland including Aberdeen suggest paying a minimum of £30,000 with live in accommodation at no charge (or minimal charge) and overtime after 48 hours. Also suggest putting concise, achievable bonuses in place. If you can do this you should expect to attract a number of relevant candidates.
We are getting closer to the end of November with over 20 relief chefs still out working.
Relief chefs still out are Alan MacPherson at the Pierhouse Hotel, Henry Samms up at The Brae hotel in Shetland, Ismail Kilicaslan at Ardanaiseig Hotel, Daniel Elliot over in Arran at Auchrannie, Sara-Jayne Moffat will be heading up to The Kingsmills Hotel, Piotr Miga at The Station Hotel, Lillian Clarkson was asked to stay another extra couple of weeks at The Links Hotel, John Cook is down in Buttermere at The Bridge Hotel, Alan Baird is over at The Apex Hotel in Dundee, Jamie Atkinson at the Kingsmills Hotel with lots more that we have stopped billing for.
Again I would like to thank you all for a very hardworking and busy season.
I am still taking availability for Christmas and New Year please give me a call 01683 222830
RSS