We are now into winter and the weather is as expected for this time of year. The rain is coming down heavy and the dark nights are setting in earlier and earlier.
This week at Chefs In Scotland I have been contacting hoteliers regarding student placements for summer 2016. My aim is to get in touch with establishments that are well known to us to see if they would be interested in taking students for a 3 month placement over the summer. Placements would require accommodation, pay a minimum rate and be willing to train the students. The idea is to give the students a good footing into the industry. I had to do this when I was at University as did the rest of the students on my course. Some chose to be close to home whereas I got the chance to go to Skibo Castle and it was a fantastic experience. It is an amazing place as are lots of places in Scotland. I met lots of people from different walks of life and we are still in touch now 6 years down the line. So I would definitely encourage budding chefs to get into work placements and embrace it as best you can.
Johanna has been busy getting the availability for relief chefs over Christmas and New Year. Double time is payable on both of those days so if you haven’t given us your availability yet please phone the office.
Recently we have made permanent placements over on Skye at a 3AAR Hotel and 2 over in the Borders and another over in Perthshire at a 5* hotel. The adverts are also coming in all over Scotland including Sutherland, Ayr, Aberdeen and Edinburgh to name a few. Please register for our new function CIS for chefs and you will get regular updates of new jobs on the website.
For now to get this uploaded and back to chasing up more references.
Jessica
When we get CVs in at Chefs In Scotland there are a number of things we look for:
We are happy to help write CVs so you if you need assistance call the office on 01683 222 830 and speak to Jessica or Johanna.
The availability for relief work is starting to come in for the festive period.
I have called every relief chef I have got marked available.
I am keen to get more availability for Christmas and New Year.
The rates are £12 - £16 per hour with double time payable on both days.
Accommodation available at no charge.
Return travelling expenses paid either at cost price or 30p per mile.
Minimum of 40 hours per week over 5 days or 8 hours per day.
Pushing for weekly pay or paid on completion for short stints.
Please get in touch with any availability. You can PM me or drop me an email jojo@chefsinscotland.co.uk.
Relief is quiet as expected for this time of year.
We do however still have over 50 chefs out working.
We are keen for you to get in touch with your availability for over the Christmas and new year period.
Double time is payable on Christmas day and new years day.
Still out working David Low is working near home at The Kings Seat in Dollar, Scott Russel is over in Oban at the Caledonian Hotel, new relief chef Gareth Connelly is up at The Tor Na Coille Hotel in Banchory, Allen Jack, Scott McKenzie and Bill Brankin are working near Forfar at The Drovers Inn, Dmitrij Cvilij and Stuart MacColl are down in Buttermere at The Bridge Hotel, Lillian Clarkson is coming to the end of a 6 week stint at The Links Hotel, Andrew Bruce is in Pitlochry at Scotland’s Hotel, Graham Smith at The Old Mill Inn in Brodie, Don Craig, John Ferguson and Mark Bellingham are over working in Shetland this is just a few to name.
Thanks for all your hard work over a very busy season.
If any of you are on holiday just now whilst it is quiet please send us some snaps and we will get CIS pens sent out.
We are now into the winter season and work is as to be expected at this time of year. So we are busy in the office this week getting up to date on all of our files and making sure we are ready for the season ahead.
We already have some positions registered for January and February 2016 as hotels are aware that the recruitment process can sometimes take a few weeks to get the right person for the job. I have been getting lots of relevant CVs out to hotels and restaurants all over Scotland and arranging lots of interviews as well.
In reflection of the past 7 months in Chefs In Scotland I have made some great placements. So thanks to all the chefs who are doing well in their jobs, we have been getting some excellent feedback. These include the head chef at a 2 rosette restaurant in Linlithgow; this was my first 2AA rosette placement at this level. Also the head chef at a hotel in the North of England in Northumberland, this was my first head chef placement and the feedback from the hotel is that the chef is getting on very well. One of the most satisfactory placements was a chef de partie at an exclusive club in the highlands where I worked previously and it’s great to touch base with my previous colleagues. Another one was a 1 rosette hotel in Dumfries and Galloway for a chef de partie role, a place I also worked at previously.
During my short 7 months here I have realised that there are many different aspects to making permanent placements and that it is not just a case of getting in a CV and sending it over to hotels, there is much more to it than that.
So as you can see it can take many different processes to make the permanent placements and a lot can go wrong but when it does go right and the chef takes the job and gets on well it is very rewarding and satisfying.
Jessica
RSS