Food24
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Videos
    • Festive Recipes
    • Budget recipes
    • South African recipes
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Beef recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Pork recipes
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking Recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Non-alcoholic drinks
  • Features
    • Food news
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Food24 Taste Tests
    • Kitchen Inspo
    • Drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Coffee
    • Zero Waste Cooking
    • In Season
      • Summer
      • Spring
  • Cooking guides & tips
    • Pantry staples
    • Load shedding lifesavers
    • Baking tips and tricks
  • Kids
    • Baby
  • More
    • Win
    • Newsletters
No Result
View All Result
Food24
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Videos
    • Festive Recipes
    • Budget recipes
    • South African recipes
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Beef recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Pork recipes
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking Recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Non-alcoholic drinks
  • Features
    • Food news
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Food24 Taste Tests
    • Kitchen Inspo
    • Drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Coffee
    • Zero Waste Cooking
    • In Season
      • Summer
      • Spring
  • Cooking guides & tips
    • Pantry staples
    • Load shedding lifesavers
    • Baking tips and tricks
  • Kids
    • Baby
  • More
    • Win
    • Newsletters
No Result
View All Result
Food24
No Result
View All Result

The kitchen crisis that could mean trouble for restaurants

Jade Lawrence by Jade Lawrence
March 2, 2016
in Food News
0
The kitchen crisis that could mean trouble for restaurants
0
SHARES
365
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

The chef industry is becoming understaffed due to students finding themselves ill-equipped in the real world of cheffing.This is a growing problem in the restaurant industry that is affecting consumers as well. Can it be fixed?

Graduates are finding their skills less refined amongst the high standards in a real restaurant kitchen. 

Other reasons include: long working hours accompanied by low pay, restaurants with a lack of chefs to employ, chefs desiring the general running of a restaurant rather than the running of a kitchen, and lastly- studies are expensive and students are getting more theory than kitchen time.

What the experts say

Renowned South African Chef Reuben Riffel, owner of the well-known Reuben’s, says that “We need a better system and quality of training for students that cannot afford the good schools. Currently those that study at the best schools don’t always follow through on staying in the industry because they have more options” an issue that is too affecting the decrease in employable chefs.

I had a recent conversation with Renshaw Adams, the Executive Chef and partner of PIKANT catering and events. He agreed that more practical time would be beneficial to give students more experience in working long hours, under extreme conditions.

He says “They are not trained properly for what is to come when they start working, the school only teaches them the basic skills, they learn most of their skills in the kitchen. The more they work, the more experience they get!”.

Adams also stated that he worked very hard to get where he is now; he started out at home and took his skills into the workplace with no past studies or degree. He was first a kitchen-hand when he jumped right in and worked his way up the ladder.

What does a chef earn?

Many graduates want to start big and earn a large salary without gaining any real experience beforehand. The basic salary of an Executive Chef is about R239 983 per year, a Head Chef is earning about R140 532 per year, a Sous chef about R104 261 and a Chef de partie R 74 008 per year –  not such high numbers if you consider the working conditions.

If salaries are increased, menu prices will have to be increased as well and customers will be unhappy having to spend more on a meal than they usually do.

The kitchen life is not at all as glamorous as it is made out to be. Reality cooking shows give a false view on what can be expected when going into the industry. Being a chef is more of a blood, sweat and tears job and most definitely will not make you famous overnight!

Consumers have no idea what is happening behind the kitchen doors. The shortage of chefs has in fact been an issue for quite a while now according to a meeting I had with Chef Reuben Riffel. Many new restaurants are opening, not just the high-end ones, and because of this expansion, the demand for chefs is growing.

What does this all mean?

The shortage means that young chefs are being placed in positions far above their capabilities, leading to food being served of a lesser quality because certain basic skill-sets have not been perfected. In the long run this shortage could lead to the closing down of businesses.

Being a chef is not just about cooking. A creative, mentally stable mind with fresh, innovative ideas is essential – as well as someone who can keep up with demanding work hours and know how to manage money.

What can be done

Changes in terms of the work environment will have to be made in order to better the situation. Changes such as adding health insurance as a benefit, increasing salaries and menu prices, offering more internships in order to better skills within the workplace and ensuring an overall good working environment for staff.

Start-up chefs need to know exactly what will be expected of them when they begin to work professionally. If changes aren’t made, in the long-run an ongoing crisis could ultimately lead to chaotic kitchens, lower quality service and menu options and the closing down of restaurants.

Tags: ArticleChefsRestaurant


Related Posts

In season now: 12 essential watermelon recipes for summer
Recipe Round-Ups

In season now: 12 essential watermelon recipes for summer

December 8, 2023
basil plant
Zero waste cooking

5 herbs to add to your summer garden

December 8, 2023
festive-braai-guide
Recipe Round-Ups

Beat load shedding with a festive braai: Your ultimate menu guide

December 7, 2023
Next Post
6 ways to eat pizza that you absolutely have to try

6 ways to eat pizza that you absolutely have to try

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Food24 Team Loves

Yuppiechef gift box

Secret Santa: Gifts to buy the foodie in your life

December 5, 2023
cooking-brussels-sprouts

Loathe Brussels sprouts? Try these cooking methods

November 20, 2023
tiktok-cottage-cheese-trends

Here’s why cottage cheese is trending on TikTok

November 14, 2023
baby porridge

Introducing Food24 Baby, your go-to resource for trusted nutrition

November 9, 2023
baby-collab-weaning

What is the COLLAB approach to weaning? 

November 8, 2023

Recent favourites

  • basil plant

    5 herbs to add to your summer garden

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Secret Santa: Gifts to buy the foodie in your life

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Beat load shedding with a festive braai: Your ultimate menu guide

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Holiday leftovers: A guide to freezing and defrosting festive food

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Light and healthy recipes that simply scream summer

    2 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get weekly access to our best recipes, tips and tricks

Sign Up
Footer

Quick links

  • Home
  • News
  • Videos
  • Win

Collections

  • New Recipes
  • Festive Recipes
  • Baking Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • Braai Recipes
  • Lunchbox
  • South African Recipes
  • Pasta Recipes

Other links

  • Advertise with Food24
  • Editorial Policy
  • How to Pitch
  • Contact us

Not in the mood to cook?

Visit eatout.co.za to find the perfect restaurant near you.

eatout.co.za

© 2020 Food24.com. All rights reserved.

  • About us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • New Media
IAB
No Result
View All Result
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Videos
    • Festive Recipes
    • Budget recipes
    • South African recipes
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Beef recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Pork recipes
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking Recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Non-alcoholic drinks
  • Features
    • Food news
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Food24 Taste Tests
    • Kitchen Inspo
    • Drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Coffee
    • Zero Waste Cooking
    • In Season
      • Summer
      • Spring
  • Cooking guides & tips
    • Pantry staples
    • Load shedding lifesavers
    • Baking tips and tricks
  • Kids
    • Baby
  • More
    • Win
    • Newsletters

© 2019 Food24.com. All rights reserved.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms below to register

Subscribe to Newsletter

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Close
Food24
Recipe Disclaimer

All recipe content is the responsibility of the party from whom such content originated. You agree that you use the content on Food24 at your own risk. Please read our editorial policy.
Close
Food24
Get the latest recipes delivered to your inbox weekly
Promotional Newsletter

Be the first to receive information about competitions and special offers from Food24 and it's partners.

You have successfully been subscribed!
Something went wrong. Please try again.
Make sure you have completed all required fields.
I don't want to see this again