Written on 30-Jun-2020
The opportunity for many hospitality businesses to re-open on 4th July has been greeted with relief and praise.
Since the announcement from PM Boris Johnson on 23rd June, we have been delighted to see such positive news about many operators across the hospitality sector experiencing a huge surge in bookings as they prepare to re-open.
According to UKHospitality, around 60% of the hospitality sector will re-open on or within a few days of 4th July and 960,000 staff are expected to go back to work form furlough, with a further 720,000 returning by the end of September.
The survey figures also suggest that, between July and September, a significantly higher number of part-time workers will return over full-time employees due to the flexibility.
This is something to consider when recruiting Chefs for your kitchen. Many see hiring relief Chefs as a last resort, when in fact they are the opposite.
Taking on temporary Chefs has many benefits in a time like this and it is the perfect option where you need flexibility around working hours due to business levels.
Some of the main benefits of hiring relief Chefs at a time like this include:
– Flexibility. You aren’t governed by the same laws as with a permanent employee, giving you more freedom to bring talented Chefs in as and when you need them.
– You can work around your business levels. You don’t have to guarantee hours every single week if you are quiet or business levels drop.
– It gives you time to focus on rebuilding your business. Using an agency will take the stress away from recruiting talented and reliable Chefs gives you the time to do what you do best.
Hospitality re-opening guidance
The government has produced a 43-page advisory document for operators with guidance advising that indoor table service must be used ‘where possible’ and with a single staff member per table.
Where bar or counter service is unavoidable, operators should prevent customers from remaining at the bar or counter after ordering.
The guidance in brief:
What have our Chefs been up to?We were over the moon to be able to furlough our longstanding Chefs, Cooks and Managers to ensure they weren’t without an income over the lockdown period – something which many relief Chefs have struggled with.
Some of our Chefs were lucky enough to continue working as normal with local care homes which we have had partnered with for many years.
Others decided to volunteer at local hospitals and Covid wards to help the community and keep themselves busy, whilst some took the time to sit back, relax and spend time with family.
We’re now working around the clock with our hospitality partners across the UK as they gear up for their grand re-opening and need an extra pair of hands in the kitchen to prepare.
Remember, hiring relief Chefs doesn’t need to be a last resort.
We can support you in any way you need, whether you need temporary Chefs on weekends, for a few days when the weather picks up, if you need to cover sickness or just need a helping hand due to an influx of bookings.