If you were to sit down and attempt to calculate the value of all the space taken in newspapers and publications worldwide, social media, radio and TV stations given over to articles relating to the pandemic over the last two years, I imagine the overall figure must run into tens of millions of pounds worth. The media frenzy has been fuelled by our relentless quest for those important, daily information updates as it’s crucial we are kept informed of events.
All of us know someone affected by the pandemic, so many businesses have had to rethink their business model to survive and one of the industries hardest hit has been the hospitality industry, particularly restauranteurs and their chefs.
With the hospitality industry now ‘open for business’ at long last, unfortunately the cracks are beginning to show as pressure mounts, a survey has revealed that a startling 51% of chefs said they suffered from depression due to overwork and with over half of chefs saying that not enough is being done to support their wellbeing, with a huge 74% saying they had taken time off work due to stress.
In a recent survey of professional chefs in London, 25% of those who responded were drinking to get through their shift, a figure which doubled to 56% when it came to taking painkillers. Restaurateurs are finding they need to offer more than just a job, post-Covid chefs now demand wellbeing and personal development as part of basic employment with 94% stating they would stay at a company longer if they were offered opportunities to learn and grow. Enter the Chef Partnership.
The Chef Partnership was formed in response to this growing crisis, its mission statement is putting people skills, leadership and wellbeing at the centre of the eating experience. It has brought together an internationally experienced team with industry experience to help restaurateurs to offer a more complete partnership with their chefs, by helping to make working in the industry as attractive as possible to secure the future of good food and increase retention. One positive that you can draw from the pandemic is the attention people are now paying to their own development and wellbeing.
Operating with a partnership mentality to solve the issues faced in the front lines of the hospitality industry, the Chef Partnership offer full employee lifecycle support solutions, including a 24/7 ‘chef in distress helpline’ which is a multi-lingual chef wellbeing support service, counselling on issues such as financial concerns, stress management, addiction management and more.
They also train mentorship skills to enable great chefs to pass their experiences on to the next generation of great chefs. Essentially, the Chef Partnership is trying to make hospitality – specifically chefing, a desirable career whilst at the same time trying to help both the retention crisis restaurateurs are facing (exacerbated by Covid) and provide meaningful changes in the industry and avenues of employment for seaside towns.
Max Brent, director at the Chef Partnership, in his own words states “I work with some fantastic people – with Rebekah Gilbert (who I’m sure you are well aware of) as well as Paul Hodges – owner of Rx Fisheries and PH Fish, among others and we are all trying to make a difference to restaurants in this very trying time, focusing on Rye and the surrounding area. A lot of what we do is getting restaurants to think differently about what they offer their staff and potential staff.
“Instead of constantly raising the salary and compensation (as the fight for talent is savage in the hospitality industry)- which we have seen clearly doesn’t work, how about offering a full employment package – with options to develop soft skills (i.e. mentoring, leadership, etc.) and the ability to access professional counselling and wellbeing support (very important especially after Covid and for young chefs getting their feet wet in the kitchen).“
He goes on to say “We are just about to release our white paper industry study (created in partnership with Humdex) – “Your best chefs, why do they leave and how to keep them” which goes into detail as to the state of the industry, and what simple steps can be taken to try and combat the retention crisis we face”.
Rebekah Gilbert, as well as conducting her many civil appointments and duties as mayor of Rye, is also the senior training partner at the Chef Partnership, having recently qualified with a certificate in counselling skills, also certification in mental health awareness and in addition, a certificate in understanding mental health first aid and mental health advocacy in the workplace. These are all regulated and recognised by OfQual.
The Chef Partnership offers bespoke training, wellbeing solutions, 24/7 live mental health support, accreditation, mentoring and much more. Their aim is to help their partners to offer more than just a job. They offer support by developing and understanding the key issues facing chefs and restaurateurs.
Want to know more? You can get in touch by email on info@thechefpartnership.com or by phone on 07881 851566 or at www.thechefpartnership.com They are based at RX Fisheries, Rock a Nore, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3DW.
Image Credits: The Chef Partnership .