Irish chefs, long suspicious of gruelling kitchen culture, are returning to restaurants more readily following a post-Covid shake-up of the industry and working hours, new research has indicated.
An extensive survey on recruitment and retention in the hospitality sector, conducted by Fáilte Ireland, has found that while finding staff is getting easier, workers are more likely to complain about their relative conditions.
However, for the restaurant trade, long-standing issues around chef recruitment have fallen away dramatically — 57 per cent of employers reported “considerable difficulties” this year compared to 88 per cent in 2021.
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“There is more value probably being placed upon them by the industry,” explained Fáilte Ireland’s head of research Caeman Wall.
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“More consideration is given to flexible working and avoiding burnout. You watch the TV shows and it’s all about screaming and roaring in the kitchen and that’s the way it would have been in the likes of Gordon Ramsey’s day but that’s not the kitchen you would go into now — it was toxic then but it’s been called out as toxic now.”
Director of sector development Jenny De Saulles said the Covid pandemic had allowed businesses to reconsider their models, leading to changes in kitchen operations, notably with fewer working hours and less fatigue.
Cheffing roles are classed as “showstoppers” — businesses cannot run without them — but recruitment in hospitality is far more widespread.
The research, which surveyed 673 employees and about 600 businesses and was published on Wednesday, found overall recruitment has become easier due to measures taken by employers, although challenges persist.
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While perceptions of regular pay have improved, workers feel additional compensation for unsocial hours has stagnated. That is in addition to other worsening impressions among staff who have reported more recent declines in confidence regarding long-term career opportunities and career progression.
“There remains a significant divide between what employers say they are doing and what workers perceive to be the case,” the research noted.
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Recruitment concerns have eased dramatically across 13 key roles — in the case of waiting staff, employment problems have fallen from 62 to 17 per cent over the last four years. Unease surrounding the retention of staff has followed a similar pattern.
However, staffing shortfalls have led to a “negative impact on customer experience” according to 60 per cent of participants and continues to be an issue, peaking among accommodation operators. It has often led to curtailed opening hours and reduced menus.
While other operating issues have come to the fore in recent times, most notably the industry’s VAT rate, the potential consequences of understaffing have also softened — just 14 per cent of businesses now believe it may force closure compared to 30 per cent in 2021.
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