News

Out and About Friday 23rd April.

It is such a nice feeling to be doing this again!!!

We currently have 6 relief chefs who have started work 😊

We have been getting lots of adverts with 20 so far, we also have 1 permanent placement and 7 confirmed relief jobs so far for the week.

There are many jobs available on our website you can apply directly by clicking www.chefsinscotland.co.uk

Here are the chefs we have out just now

Phil Smith starting today at The Cot House in Dunoon

Lillian Clarkson is at The Kingshouse in Glencoe

Ryan Williamson is at The Sligachan Hotel in Skye

Tony Orr is also at The Kingshouse in Glencoe

Michael George and Leon Edgson are both at The Ballachulish Hotel

We really do appreciate your support and hard work.

It has been a very difficult 12 months, looking forward to a busy 2021 season ahead 😊

Take care all and stay safe xx

Availability of Permanent Head Chefs and Relief Chefs

18th April 2021

The Availability of Permanent Head Chefs and Relief Chefs in Scotland

As we edge closer to much of Scottish Hospitality reopening on Monday the 26th of April, the availability of chefs is tightening up.

Most Head Chef jobs, if paying decent money, are still attracting applicants, although in many cases each Head Chef is being interviewed for several jobs at the same time, this seems to be particularly true in the major cities.

In rural Scotland, it depends very much on the job as to the number of applicants. 2AA Rosette Head Chef positions may get several applicants but only 1 or 2 who have relevant 2AA Rosette experience.

Hotel jobs paying by the hour in excess of £15 per hour will quite possibly still get a few applicants.

What is “decent money”?

Again, this can vary from job to job and by location. For Head Chefs I would say £35,000 and upwards is starting to be “decent money” This for a 45-hour week equates to just under £15 per hour. For 3AA Rosette Head Chefs, salaries can be in the region and in excess of £50,000 per year.

Bonus Schemes: A good bonus scheme can help to attract and retain Head Chefs. Based on achieving suitable gross profit margins, of say 65% and above. Wages ratio, kitchen cleanliness and customer feedback, all seems to be suitable for being built into a concise bonus scheme, getting certain amounts of money for achieving set criteria.

For relief chefs, the rates have currently stayed the same at Chefs In Scotland as last year as we look to get the season underway.

The availability of good relief chefs, well known to us, at the moment is quite reasonable. Many chefs have left the industry and have not returned at the moment, others have taken on permanent positions, as we move towards opening up the availability is expected to become poor, a bit like what it is like usually at Easter and just before Christmas, i.e., everyone who wants a job is fixed up.

The next couple of weeks promise to be quite challenging for all: hoteliers, restaurateurs and chefs, although hopefully things will begin to settle into some sort of rhythm.

Spouse Visa in the UK 9th April 2021

Spouse Visa in the UK

A very basic outline

 

If you are married or in a long term civil relationship to a Uk citizen, you should be able to apply for a Spouse Visa.

 

This can take between 3 to 6 months to be granted as long as certain criteria are met.

 

The process can be speeded up by paying an extra amount and may be doable within 3 weeks.

 

The costs are quite high and will usually be in excess of £1000 but not more than £3000.

 

Applications are made to the Uk government through

www.gov.uk or google spouse visa uk

 

You must have a good knowledge of English and have either a specific amount of funds (c £62,000) or have a job offer in excess of a figure in the region of £20,000 per annum.

non UK workers post Brexit

Working in Scottish hospitality industry post Brexit and coming from outwith the UK

Employers need a license to sponsor applicants on a Tier 2 or General work visa which is main UK visa route for skilled workers
9 November 2020, Home Secretary Priti Patel announced that the Government’s new points-based immigration bill had passed through Parliament.
"The so-called ‘Australian-style’ immigration system is designed to favour workers who are judged to be ‘high-skilled’, and end ‘low-skilled’ migration from the EU once the UK leaves the bloc at the end of the year.
Those wishing to come and work in the UK from the EU under the new system would have to secure a job with a minimum salary threshold of £25,600.
Employees earning less than £25,600, but more than £20,480, would still be able to apply for a visa if it was to work in a 'specific shortage occupation' role; while anyone earning less than £20,480 would not be able to take a job in the country.
Government visa sponsor scheme
UK employers wishing to hire skilled migrants must be registered on the Government visa sponsor scheme.
Since 1st January 2021 all overseas workers will require a visa.
Since 1st January 2021 businesses must pay an Immigration Skill Charge (ISC) of £1,000 per year for each skilled overseas worker they employ. "
If anyone finds any of this information wrong or has better pointers, please I would be delighted to know

Out and About 11th December 2020

We still have 5 chefs out working on relief.

This includes Dave Mcconnachie at Seafield Arms in Cullen, George McCallum at Clachan Grill in Ballater, Robert Mckillop at Deans of Huntly, Leon Edgson at Ness Walk in Inverness and Gordon Smillie at Shieldaig Lodge in Ross-Shire.

We have been selling lots of beer from the shop in Moffat, and Michael delivering locally also.

We still have copies of Chopped Parsely if anyone would like a copy sent to them its £7.00 inc PP to anywhere in the UK.

We are hoping for a few relief jobs to come in next week for over Christmas and New Year 🤞

Thanks to you all for your continued support we really do appreciate it :)

Take care and stay safe :) x

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