So sad to see that our warning that worse was to come is very much coming true but this news that the iconic Waterside at Bray has made substantial losses is much more than a "sign of the times.

Last month we suggested that this was the start of a major change in British cookery with the losses of Le Gavroche and also L’Ortolan we are seeing the demise of major Iconic Michelin houses before our very eyes and we predicted more to follow.

At the heart of it all is the very model of Michelin dining and yet once again the blame is laid at staff costs?

Those that eat at 3 star Restaurants care little about what goes on behind the scenes can easily afford the increases set to achieve the highest of culinary standards.  That chefs and waiters demand the equivalent in renumeration and are  blamed for the operational failure is appalling and insulting,and proof that these restaurants have grown famous on the backs of cheap labour.

The Michelin model has been broken for many years and whilst they dole out stars left, right and centre to restaurants that simply don’t deserve that level of accolade then so the market becomes saturated with Michelins on every street corner ( 3 in Bray alone )

The fact is that those that dine Ala Michelin have an enormous choice as never before and in many cases much of it being the same and we believe the mystique and aura of visiting a Michelin house has become the thing for one off dining events as those of HNW can easily afford to have their own Michelin level chefs working for them in their own homes.

Many Michelin level CDPs, Sous and Head Chefs have left the Michelin circuit in recent years to opt for more lucrative work in Private home as and Yachts.  Those that have “real “money care not to dine with the masses but now seek their very own level of cuisine and have very much abandoned the social circuit that saw them eating daily at famous restaurants.

The Michelin “cash cow “is drying up fast and the Roux’s know it and so does everyone else.

These businesses eat cash at an alarming rate and constantly need investment to keep their standards and the truth is that they are very much all struggling to keep up with a falling market.

See our articles in June 2022 and you will see that the demise of Michelin is gathering pace, very much as we predicted.

Simply, those that can afford Michelin are looking for something else, they are bored and seek another thrill, leaving everyone to pick up the pieces but the real blame is for Michelin itself as it is they who have devalued the brand and have sought recognition by lowering the standards set by themselves around the world ( apart from France ) and it is they that must ultimately answer for all of this. The truth is that there are Restaurants in the UK with Michelin stars that would not get a star in France and many 2 stars Restaurants that would only obtain 1 star in France and its this undeniable fault that is at the bottom of the demise of Michelin in the UK

If Michelin UK is to survive then the bar must be raised higher and they must seek to employ the very best at the very best rates,without compromise.

 

We knew it would not be long before we got a Michelin Starred Chef into court and now we have a date set.

On June 25th 2024 a well known ( self publicist ) Chef in Soho London will be before the courts owing our member and others many thousands of pounds in wages and entitlements.

This vile man has spent millions on refurbing his Restaurant,the best of crockery ,the best of cutlery and tableware the very finest decor,all in his narcissistic quest for "Michelin Gold" and all on the backs of his staff and his creditors.

He is without doubt the most obnoxious person this Union has ever had to deal with and we cannot wait to get this court order against him and finally show to the world the very seedy side of Michelin dining.

How so many Michelin Chefs are up to their neck in debt and struggle to pay their way and are in fact running their business insolvently and against the law and whilst diners happily scoff their Cuisine Miniscule"and gulp their Dom Perignon oblivious to a young family in London with a baby who is owed more than £10,000 and who have struggled to pay for simple necessities.

Unichef has never exposed any employer before and this will be the first but have no doubt we WILL EXPOSE this chef and let the world see exactly what has been going on Michelin kitchens for many years.The amount of stress and worry this family has had to endure in the name of Michelin is simply appalling and when our industry scratches its head wondering where all of the staff have gone to we have to believe that the problems we have been complaining about for so long are there right in front of our eyes every single day.

This Chef thinks he knows the law and believes he is above it and will try every trick to get out of it,what he never recond on was a National Chefs Union that will stick by its members through thick and thin when they are so badly treated by their employers.

This man has set about the ruin of a chef who worked hard to help him obtain his first Michelin star and has then consistently refused to pay him what he is legally owed,he cares about nothing but his quest for Michelin stardom and he and Michelin are about to find out that the time has come to those in our industry first.

This week, a figure in the industry has said what Unichef has been saying for many years.

Chantal Wilson from NQ64 Bars in London has rightfully said that the industry doesn't have a "recruitment" problem but in fact has a major Job issue in that the very quality of work is stopping people from looking towards Hospitality as a career choice.

So, how do we bring quality to work and what can employers do to solve the issues once and for all?

We have said for years that employers need to build into their employment work ethics and moral attitudes of fairness and flexibility.The issues we face was never only about the money and yet the industry has still not listened.

Our "hit list" would include...

1, An end to one sided and "cut and paste” contracts.

2. An end to inflexible work patterns, i.e. split shifts, AFD and every weekend shifts unless such work is enhanced.

3. Unbiased and independent HR representation

4, More high-quality recruitment with qualifications gained being recognised and rewarded.

5, A “Zero Tolerance” to Drugs and substance abuse with mandatory drug testing in all kitchens.

6. A return to “time served” management who know and understand traditional and established work practices and less “graduate” based management structures who only follow the corporate role and put profitability before all else,who have done a few bar shifts and get promoted to manager.

7.Legislated maximum"trial periods"

8.Contracts giving in advance of acceptance,a" breathing space" for contracts to be read and scrutinised.

9. 48 hour maximum pay errors rectified

10.Re-enforced Management responsibility and awareness of toxic environments

All well and good having good intentions and ideas, putting them into practice is another thing.We totally applaud Chantals stance and have criticised the industry for being in denial but can we move on from here and create that environment of change and optimism?

Hopefully with more people like Chantal we can ... 
 

Chantal Wilson: Why hospitality needs to get rid of ‘sh*t jobs’

WWW.THECATERER.COM

---

The hospitality industry has a “job problem” rather than a “recruitment problem”, according to the interim people director of NQ64 Arcade Bars.

Finally we can now tell you the full story of Chef G and her amazing fight for justice.

Chef G is a female chef working in the UK. She has a young family of 3 and is a devoted working mum. She had been at her job for 5 years, happily working as part of a successful team within a busy pub that had survived through the pandemic and was now looking to a bright future with a new company that had recently bought the establishment.

All was well until a new chef arrived with big plans and ambitions. He systematically set about destroying relationships to further his ambitions to create his very own “man cave” bullying out both the female head chef and our member Chef G as well as the sous chef who had been there 15 years.

Chef G complained at her treatment which included the Head Chef rostering her for hours which impacted heavily on her family as well as the constant and vicious harassment. She was initially listened to but the company failed to control the new head Chef and things got worse and she then contacted Unichef.

She submitted a formal grievance which in law must be acted upon within 5 days. The company failed to do this in the belief that they could simply ignore her and get rid of her. With our advice, she beat them to this by resigning and claiming Wrongful Dismissal brought about by the company’s failure to uphold her legal right to a grievance ( breach of contract ).

The company denied the allegations but we knew she was right from the start and supported Chef G all the way through her Tribunal Application until this week when we signed her Settlement Agreement which has vindicated her and left the company with a substantial 4 figure sum and hefty legal bills.

Chef G is unique.  She had the common sense and fortitude to keep a daily diary of her treatment as well as every email, rota and social media message, the sheer volume of evidence was overwhelming and the company had little choice but to admit defeat and agree an Out of Court settlement. with us.

Each night after a hard day’s work and when the kids were in bed, she would diligently work her way through the masses of legal info and jargon, preparing her case and answering all that we asked of her without complaint or whining.

This was a case that need not have happened, Unichef and Chef G simply wanted the issues solving but male pride and male dominance of the company and kitchen meant that their egos were more important to them than common sense,in reality it could have all been sorted over a cup of tea and bunch of flowers...  not a good way to run a business you might think?

Every day for the last year we have supported, encouraged and inspired Chef G to her successful claim,  we never stopped believing in her case and her amazing fight for justice,  she is a truly remarkable and inspiring woman and it has been a total pleasure to have her as our member.Her courage has inspired everyone around her and will now act in encouraging more women to come forward and seek justice for how they are treated at work and what she has done will be remembered here at Unichef for many years to come.


Unichef has shown once again that justice for UK chefs is very possible. Our chefs have a strong and powerful Union that is prepared to stand up and fight for their rights and success is there for those that seek it.

 

Yet again more calls for a cut in VAT for the Hospitality industry but once again the Chancellor isn't buying it ..but why ?

Government thoughts have always been that ours is a "luxury" industry.If people do with less going out and pubs and Restaurants struggle or even quit,then it no big loss,the industry can well manage with less and the jobs will be absorbed into other things.

Its believed that a VAT cut for Hospitality would indeed be more harmful to the UK economy than helpful to the industry.

The "eat our to help out" scheme proved this and the Economy has yet to recoup billions given in Furlough during the pandemic" a lot of which was fraudulently applied for by unscrupulous pubs and restaurant owners.

Therefore the Government isn't rushing into giving more help for an Industry that has squandered support in the past.

As Unichef has said all along,that the industry really is too big,with too many mediocre pubs and restaurants,churning out mediocre food,too many "brands" too many "filling stations" out to make a quick buck,too many that treat staff badly,pay poorly and overwork to exhaustion.

We have said consistently that the Industry needs to look at itself in the mirror and face the challenges that is in front of them and realise that a cut in VAT would only be a "sticking plaster"over a huge wound that has opened up since the Pandemic.We knew it was always going to be this way so why couldn't they see it ?
 

Quarter of hospitality businesses have no cash reserves, study finds

WWW.THECATERER.COM

---

A quarter of hospitality businesses have run out of money are trading in a perilous state according to a new report.

Well, at last someone of renown has finally had the guts to come out and tell it like it is?

Well done to Michel Roux Jr for at long last acknowledging what Unichef has been saying since 2015 and that bullying has ruined our industry and profession to the extent that it's affected the provision of chefs coming into the Hospitality sector and not only chefs but waiters and others staff also.
“We want the next generation of chefs to fall in love with this industry, not to hate it.” He says, but it seems still staying shy of just why Marco and Ramsay became so tyrannical after being at Le Gavroche.

Indeed, William Sitwell himself is slightly perplexed at having to leave that conversation for another time?

As Unichef prepares to battle in the Courts again over yet another bullying Chef,  hopefully slowly but surely chefs are beginning to realise that the bawling and shouting of bullying behaviour is at last beginning to fade and that a Court Trial for unfair dismissal isn’t the way to run your kitchen ?

Having a bully for a boss isn’t pleasant – but it certainly livens things up

WWW.TELEGRAPH.CO.UK

---

With the closure of Le Gavroche, Michel Roux Jr called for the end of aggressive kitchen environments. But do we sometimes need conflict?

The news that there are now less than 100,000 pubs left in the UK is of no big surprise to us here at Unichef.

As we predicted time and again this one time leisure pursuit for millions is massively outdated.The younger generation simply do not fit into the demographics of "publife" and many see spending their money on other items much more important than having a drink which is so often overpriced.

Whilst, for the time being at least, there will still be a vibrant trade in City Center drinking,traditional pubs and those on housing estates ( the locals ) are the ones that with a poor future ahead.

There are many reasons,and all of them are relevant but at the end of the day,pubs are about selling beer and food and people no longer want beer and food in the form that is offered in pubs.

That and the massive shortage of cheap unskilled staff who are the mainstay of many pubs,has led to the way things are now.

Pubs have always been of high issue for Unichef. If we ever have Chefs with work related issues a large proportion of them will be working in pubs,that's a fact.They are heavily understaffed,poorly maintained,often badly managed and very often massively in debt and many struggle on a day to day basis.

Working in a pub,is without any doubt the very hardest part of our profession,with very little thanks or reward for the massive efforts that devoted staff put in.

So,our next prediction ??

In your lifetime you will see the end of pubs as you know them,only the very very best will survive and only then by investment and a better business attitude towards their core staff.We will shed no tears or worry about the future of jobs as maybe it is time to "call time" on a shockingly poorly regulated industry.
 

Number of UK pubs drops below 100,000 for first time in two decades

WWW.THECATERER.COM

---

UKHospitality has called for urgent government support in the Autumn Statement as new figures have revealed that the number of licensed premises in Britain...

Everyone from Chefs to part-time delivery drivers will be affected by new data-sharing rules.

New rules coming into force from January 2024 could mean people who make money through a 'side hustle' have their bank account details shared with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

As part of a global clampdown on tax evasion, digital platforms that allow people to make extra cash on top of their main income will be ordered to give HMRC users' information. This will impact everyone from holiday rental hosts and delivery drivers to sellers on online marketplaces and even freelancers.

For many years Chefs have needed to supplement poor earnings by taking on extra work in some form,but the Revenue are well aware of the abuse of cash transactions in the Hospitality sector and our industry will be high on the list for future scrutiny.

So then the many chefs that found cash work during the pandemic as Gardeners or Painters etc,as well as those who have left to set up their own business as an Agency,Freelance Chefs or Private Chefs must now be doubly careful about what they do and be able to explain all sources of their income,especially if they uses any form of media,including Facebook, Instagram,Tik Tok etc

Here, we explain what this could mean for you, the rules around income tax and how to avoid getting into trouble with HMRC.

 

What has HMRC announced?

The tax office already has the power to demand UK-based apps and websites to provide data on the income of sellers, including bank account details. But because many digital platforms are based overseas, such as holiday letting sites, some tax dodgers are still slipping through the net. 

HMRC has now signed up to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) rules, which will allow it to investigate the tax affairs of people earning an income via a company that operates abroad. 

Under the measures, it will also share information with other participating tax authorities where a seller is a resident. A copy of the details will then be sent to the seller to help them comply with their tax obligations. As of November 2022, 28 countries and jurisdictions had signed up to the OECD rules. 

HMRC hopes the rules, which will be introduced in the new year, will mean more people get their tax bill right and clamp down on those deliberately avoiding paying as they explain.. 

"The vast majority of people pay the correct amount of tax. We use various methods, including working with online rental and marketplace platforms, to help make it as easy as possible for people to pay the right tax.
Side hustles – jobs you take on in addition to your main job – have become a popular way to boost earnings. But whether it is selling handcrafted goods or delivering takeaways, any money you make counts as self-employed income and must be declared to the tax office."

 

With news that a London Authority plans to set up a Teaching Academy that will centre on the divisive nature of London cuisines and NOT the classical teachings of previous chefs, have we at long last come to some sort of consensus in the way that we teach our future chefs.

Unichef has long believed that our teaching system is in meltdown and that the fundamental belief that we must teach our future chefs the classical way of learning was steeped in 70’s nostalgia.

Could we have realised along last that teaching Kimchi dressing is just as  important as vinaigrette and that true adhesion to French Cuisine is simply a myth portrayed by people who don’t know any better?

We all know that times have changed, and that the industry has changed …Isn’t it about time that we changed too ??

Almost since our conception as the voice of UK chefs Unichef has constantly and consistently campaigned for Diversity and Inclusion for our Profession, we have and always will see it as the answer to so many of our issues.

So with great sadness we see yet again the commencement of yet another “man cave “kitchen but with the added caveat that this time the Chef/Proprietor has at least received considerable flack for doing so.

At least we can take some comfort that our message is getting through even if its not quite reaching all those that bury their heads in cookery books instead of realising that the development of their brigade is equally important as developing recipes?
 

Thomas Straker acknowledges lack of diversity in his kitchen and pledges to do more

WWW.RESTAURANTONLINE.CO.UK

---

Thomas Straker has said he’s ‘committed to ensuring diversity’ in his restaurant following criticism online over the lack of both female employees and people of colour in his kitchen.

The recent tragic death of Masterchef Jock Zonfrillo has highlighted yet again the extremes that chefs constantly find themselves in. Whether that be the hours they work or the pressure to achieve, but more and more often it’s the financial extremes that are pressurising them in having to achieve the slimmest of margins and the highest of profits.

Is it any wonder then that this inevitably has an impact on the health of those chefs?

The Article attached gives the names of many of the leading chefs that has sadly left us too young, not forgetting the super talented Gary Rhodes and Paul Kitchen whom so many of us still look up to for our inspiration in British cooking.

All of them will be so very much missed.
 

Jock Zonfrillo: Why chefs Anthony Bourdain, Jeremy Strode, Justin Bull, Darren Simpson died young | Daily Mail Online

WWW.DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

---

When MasterChef host Jock Zonfrillo died suddenly this week, his name was added to the tragic roll call of chefs who died from unnatural causes.

New stats out today show that less than a quarter of all young people now see hospitality as a career option.

This is of little surprise to many as we have seen a demise in the quality and quantity of successful recruits coming from the NVQ system.

It is what has been termed our Perfect Storm “as many aging employees (especially chefs) went either during the pandemic or shortly afterwards. That and the Brexit shortage of E.U workers has made our industry even less attractive than it ever was.

This stark report shows that industry has much more to do than simply upping wages as we rightly said during the pandemic that money was not the only issue facing Hospitality.

Sadly though, this report is likely to fall on deaf ears. Those responsible for leading our industry are much more interested in achieving accolades for themselves than solving the industry's woes.

 

Less than a quarter of young people would consider a career in...

WWW.THECATERER.COM

Almost day one Unichef have seen the vision of diversity as the answer to the majority of the issues in modern catering,  and now yet again we have been proven right.

At  last a major figure in the profession has had the courage to say what we have believed in for so long that the major issues of drugs and sexism will not go away whilst we still have male dominated kitchens.

This outdated and largely unworkable method of kitchen planning often sees high turnover of staff and increasing problems of recruitment and low morale.

Once again Jamie Oliver's insight into our industry is stunningly accurate, his bravery exemplary and his vision acute. He knows more than most and has the balls to say so.

His admission that he works better when he thinks like a woman and has women around him is extraordinary and one that many chefs can Identify with but have not had the courage to say so.He sees the unique and special talents women bring to a kitchen and their simplistic and uncomplicated attitude to food that can enhance a working environment tenfold.

50/50 kitchens have to be our future, there can be no doubt now and
applause and credit once again to truly inspirational Jamie Oliver.
 

‘It’s quite scary!’ Jamie Oliver says upscale restaurant kitchens are ‘flooded’ with drugs

UK.NEWS.YAHOO.COM

---

The celebrity chef spoke about the ‘aggressive’ and ‘male-driven’ kitchens he’d worked in previously

OMG...this is quite some case It's well worth reading...
In essence, the case seemed fairly trivial, most of it could have been sorted at an earlier stage but it does go to show some of the very poor management decisions that we see all too often at Unichef.

They didn't have the skill set, patience, or experience to sit down with this employee and thrash out the issues over a cuppa, Instead, it has been allowed to fester and now the result has been a Tribunal award of breathtaking amounts.

The Employer" irrationally disregarded argument and evidence", surely then the next to be sacked should be the management team that oversaw this shoddy affair?
 

Nursery chef unfairly dismissed after biscuit snub

WWW.PERSONNELTODAY.COM

---

Nursery chef dismissal: A worker was awarded £34,000 in compensation after issues with investigations and how his performance was handled.

At last...at long last,legislation finally getting through both houses on tipping of service staff and chefs.Now employees have the right to demand that the service charge and tips be given to them without ANY deductions.
The Article quotes as saying that it doesn't happen"very much"..really?..then why legislate for it then ?

The fact is it does happen and more often then people realise,especially when it comes to chefs or waiters leaving the business as some ( not all ) employers seem to think that they can "claw back" anything that may be owed to then though the service charge system?

well now they cant and about time too !!
 

Tipping legislation to become law after clearing House of Lords

WWW.THECATERER.COM

---

A bill that will prevent employers from making deductions from staff tips has cleared the House of Lords and will receive Royal Assent to become law.

The Dominic Raab Affair


If your wondering what Ex minister Dominic Raab and Unichef have in common then read on?

Since our conception in 2015 Unichef has constantly and consistently fought against bullying and harassment in UK kitchens.
Last week when the Deputy Prime Minister resigned over bully allegations it signed a new chapter in workplace relations that will last for many years to come.

Finally the issue of bullying now been clearly defined by a leading KC and that in itself has set a new precedent for what can now be defined as “Workplace Bullying”

For years we have been warning chefs that this day would come, that there arrogance, shouting, bating, banter and sexist overtones amounted to dismissal and we have been proved right.
That overbearing criticism, belittling of people and humiliation can all now be termed as “abuse of power” and that can lead to dismissal and even prosecution.

Even as you read this we are involved in several serious cases where “abuse of power” by either a Head Chef or Sous Chef has been ignored and allowed to create an “atmosphere of fear” and intimidation.

Even now in the 21st Century we have Chefs who believe that the can do and say whatever the like in “their” kitchen. Their time has come, their reckoning awaits and Unichef will punish all who abuse abuse and condone this vile and outdated behaviour in the workplace.

 

It's Ironic that the reason we are posting this late on International Women’s Day is because we have been tied up with a serious case of Harassment?

The case involved a young single mum who has been receiving the most disgusting treatment within the kitchen of a well-known 3 Rosette establishment.

The Hotel, like so many others had taken its eye off the ball and had ignored its legal duty of care to its employees in its search for accolades and stars.  The kitchen had become toxic with male chefs using sexist and violent behaviour towards this young woman.

So bad had it become she ended up on the sick with stress and she sought help from The National Chefs Union.
 

We acted immediately and warned the employers of the seriousness of the matter and their legal duty of care that we expected them to uphold.

To their credit the hotel "fessed up" and admitted the faults and immediately remedied the matter with an investigation which resulted in a dismissal and a supportive system of care for its staff. So now all is well, and she will return to work soon.

This young woman was incredibly brave, stood up to the harassment and was determined to seek the support she was entitled to from her employers, and she also had the courage and strength to seek support and compassion from Unichef which was able to bring the matter to a swift and amicable conclusion.

Even on International Women's Day the National Chefs Union is still fighting for equality for our female colleagues and still fighting against the bias in the industry.

So, on this day let us take pride in the work we have achieved but also acknowledge that we still have so much to do.

 

In 2015 Unichef were the very first chef organisation to openly discuss Mental Health Issues (MHI) in our profession, before that so many suffered in silence.

In order to create that safe space for discussion we needed to learn and embrace all that was being said to us. We knew as a Union that we could never fully understand what is like to suffer from such conditions but we also knew that we needed to care and support our fellow chefs.

That culture of finding safe spaces become more and more an essential part of our work, and so too we learned about how to embrace more and more the various aspects of our chefs’ lives, from those that suffered with IBS, Strokes, Autism and Asthma. Over the years Unichef has reached out and embraced all aspects of the lives of working chefs.

We never pretend to “understand” but we have learned to embrace, support and care,  and we could not have done this without creating such safe spaces in which to openly discuss these important issues and having those chefs brave enough to come forward and help us to do that, without judgement or fear.

Today we can now say that we are in such a position to bring forward that support and care for our LGBTQ+ community.

Unichef is a Community Union and it must always reflect and support that community in all aspects of our working lives and the LGBTQ+ community within our profession needs that safe space too and once again Unichef is leading the way for others to follow.

We know that there are many chefs who long for a more open attitude within catering and we must accept that our profession has failed so far in recognising and supporting LGBTQ+ chefs in their work.

Today,  with the wonderful help of Director Designate for Diversity and Inclusion Nicola Till we can now move forward and create that forum of support for gay Chefs in the UK.The British Culinary industry is far behind the rest of the world in its openness and embracement of LGBTQ+ issues and today we take a giant leap in doing just that.

For the very first time that support system of care and compassion is there for the Chef LGBTQ+ community, we are there for you, ready and willing to listen and care.

Once again Unichef,The National Chefs Union is breaking down walls, breaking down those barriers and stigmas that haunt our profession, today we reach out, today we are Proud,very Proud.

For those that wonder just what sort of future role Michelin and AA rosettes have post pandemic then this excellent article by Andy Lynes may begin to throw some light as to why many in the industry now believe as we do that the accreditations system in the UK is well outdated and is no longer fit for purpose (as if it ever was?)

Pale male and stale Fixing hospitality awards' diversity problem

WWW.THECATERER.COM

---

Accolades in the hospitality sector are still stuck in the past with recognition still mainly going to white male chefs cooking European cuisine. Andy Lynes...

Both of these accreditations have made chefs in the UK believe that somehow, they are a true reflection of the quality of cookery and that incredibly the public are culinary educated enough to understand the differences in the various levels. They have both been found guilty of taking the public for idiots and chefs for granted and now people are beginning to realise what we have been saying for many years.

In this article, Andy has expertly opened up the growing debate as just how relevant these archaic institutions really are and the role, they have played in creating a sexist and elitist industry that has cared little for its employees and are both now struggling to survive and justify their existence.

So too the many Chefs Associations that prosper the belief that only if you join their “club” will you ever achieve greatness in this profession. You too can have have a sash,a badge and say your some sort of culinary genius? That is of course if your white, male and don’t rock the boat, as many of these ( not all ) rely heavily on the white male dominance that Andy Lynes describes and that is at the root of much of our historical issues.Perpetrating white male dominance has proved to be the undoing of our industry.white males are leaving in droves,for better and safer industries yet these "guardians" of our profession still fail to see it.

This well put together article clearly shows that it isn’t just Unichef that is questioning the system but now those within it are clearly saying that what we have had in the past has not resulted in giving us an industry that rewards chefs for their hard work, is well regulated and is forward thinking in employee welfare and that it is time to scrap both of these systems and start afresh.

Finally people are realising that the price paid in achieving these indulgent accolades is no longer economically viable or even necessary in today's post pandemic catering industry and a better more inclusive and less elitist way of informing the public of the level of culinary talent needs to be evolved.

In all honesty,if both the AA and Michelin Guides folded tomorrow,would it really matter ?
 

“Private Chef Giants La Belle Assiette to sponsor The National Chefs Union”

Unichef, The National Chefs Union, are delighted to announce that Europe’s premiere Private Chef Hire and Home Dining experience La Belle Assiette have agreed to sponsor Unichef for 2022.

This special and unique agreement will focus on the substantial wellbeing and rewards opportunity’s enjoyed by both LBA chefs and Unichef members.

As Executive Director of Unichef explains:

 “for the first time a company has enlisted the services of a union to promote its in house benefits whilst at the same time allowing all of its chefs to Join a Union free of charge, it is totally visionary and inspiring”

This is the very first time a company employing freelance chefs have ever enlisted the support of a National Union and LBA Chief Executive Guillaume Cussac explains just why this partnership is so special, he says this:

"We are very pleased to support Unichef and all of the amazing work they do for the Chef industry. As the UK's leading private Chef company, Chef wellbeing is key and at the heart of what we do; supporting Unichef just made a lot of sense" 
 

Without question, one of the major issues we face in modern British Cookery is the myth that has grown over recent years that all chefs must adhere to the now perceived look that has been portrayed by media, film and social media that British chefs should be male, white and (preferably) tattooed? We now have a "look" as to what people think a British chef should look like??

This way of thinking is now ingrained into British cookery and is a cancer that has spread to many of those companies and institutions that have a social responsibility to uphold standards for the future.

But now those very guardians of the faith have become so indoctrinated by this perception that they portray this image as a flag or even some sort of masonic “badge of honour”,they do it without even realising the harm they do and this is the definition of Institutional Sexism.

When a company, employer or culinary institution promotes a vision of a Male Only profession, either through their websites, leaflets, doctrine, media posts or even the very make up of their organisation, then those looking on can only presume that the belief of that organisation,kitchen  or company is what it is portraying and that those organisations only ever want to promote male white chefs, as this is their true ( but often unconscious ) intent.

When those responsible ( very often white men) are in charge of the content and spiritual guidance of those establishments and sanction such clear and decisive messages then that organisation, by definition, becomes inherently and institutionally sexist.  Although at this point I must make it clear that often these actions are often by way of habit and not always conscious decision making.

When that organisation, promotes without equality, without attention to gender recognition then that organisation is Institutionally sexist and when that organisation organises ,promotes and sets about programs where the dominant sex is male, the organisers are male, the judges and competitors are male and the eventual winner or recipient of the award is male then that organisation can and should be regarded as Institutionally sexist.

When an institution or company fails to set internal targets for female and ethnic inclusion then that too is seen as Institutional, it is cultural within their system, and is therefore systemic.

Institutional Sexism is disease within British cookery. It bears no allegiance to our heritage and bears no resemblance to society. A society that has by and large grown to promote equality and inclusion within every walk of life yet, so many kitchens, companies and Institutions within catering are oblivious to modern thinking.In many ways we are still in the 70's but don't realise it?

Whilst those in charge of such organisations continue to believe that only white men can cook,  and that white men must always be in charge of our culinary future then those men need to wake up and see what lies ahead.

This profession cannot and must not be led by those with such archaic ideologies. Such ideologies effect the very make up of our profession and stifle creative talent.  The time for change is coming quickly, we cannot simply go on ignoring the immense talent that we have in the UK just because they do not fit the stereotypical chef image.

#allchefsallowed

Unichef endorses #Fairkitchens

The National Chefs Union, Unichef has agreed to fully endorse the movement #Fair Kitchens and its new online Leadership Training.

The movement co-foundered by Unilever in 2018, is an international movement aiming to make staff happiness as important as diner satisfaction and  will acknowledge fair pay, fair hours and fair conditions within that establishment. The movement, which seeks to improve the wellbeing of hospitality and foodservice workers, now has more than 22,000 community members learning from each other and creating resilient businesses in the process. It has recently launched free online leadership training in interpersonal skills called ‘Leading a Fair Kitchen’.

Unichef will be supporting the movement with regular updates, information and guiding chefs towards the Leadership Training. The long-term ambition is to create a point of preference, with ‘Fair Kitchens’ recognised by potential team members as good places to work and by diners as assurance of a quality dining experience that doesn’t compromise staff wellbeing.

Executive Director Brian Mcelderry writes” Fair Kitchens will, for the first time, give a clear guideline to those employers who seek to give their workforce better pay, hours and conditions and will give customers a true indication of how staff are supported within each establishment, and hopefully this will become the future for all of our kitchens.
 

Click either of the images below to visit the Fair Kitchens website.

The news that the government has set up a “task force” that has zero shop floor representation has been met with dismay and anger.

The new Hospitality committee comprises of the Business Minister Paul Scully and Business Executives who all have a vested interest in seeing the industry return to prosperity.

They have been seconded to ensure that the government’s 22 point plan for recovery is supported, implemented and encouraged within the industry.

However the very point that they intend to do this without recourse to any Union or representative body is quite beyond belief and belies the very attitude that is ripping our industry apart. That those who oversee a “them and us” vision of our future should take a long hard look in the mirror as few of them can truly hold their hand up when they are asked if all of their workforce are secure in their employment, happy and feel safe and protected.

Never could we have envisioned that the very cause of much the deep concerns in the industry are now in the very hands of those who have in recent years overseen much of the abuse of its workforce fueled by mass immigration and poor expansion planning.

The National Chefs Union has now written to those MP’s that supported the call for our own Hospitality Minister earlier this year and have demanded an urgent review of the Council, its role  and the lack of diverse representation.

This appalling lack of sensitivity and respect shows contempt for the very people that they employ.

This “let them eat cake” attitude has to stop and its has to stop at the very top if we are to achieve a better future for those that we seek to employ. That they do not seek engagement with the workforce through their representatives shows an unwillingness to accept the worker empowerment that is sweeping across our industry and a fear of those that seek change.

With our industry now ready (almost) to return to some sort of reasonable normality we are now seeing the pent-up frustration of both Employers and Employees and issues raising to the surface.

The pressures on Employers are staggering that’s for sure. many have huge debts and they continue to rise and now they are face with a massive shortage of good chefs and are having to shift that pressure back onto the small workforce that they have just to survive the rest of the year and get back some of what they have lost.

Needless to say, this is causing huge resentment to staff, who feel that they are being made to pay for what has happened over the last year or so but are they right to feel that way?

Do Employers also have a right to feel that they now should expect employees to shoulder the heavy burdens they have an “take one for the team “, soak up the pressure, work extra shifts and extra days, all for the good of the business and for the security of their job?

It's certainly a moral dilemma that none of us have ever faced before. Is it right to “guilt trip” employees, is it right to add even more pressure than they already have or is it the Employers sole responsibility to shoulder all the issues and run their business effectively from day one? Do employees have a moral obligation to support their employers by providing free labour?

At Unichef, we HAVE to see both sides of the coin. We have members who are owed thousands of pounds from employers who have no money.  We have even heard of Employers keeping tips so that they can pay bills, and chefs having to clean toilets because they have no cleaner and many other sad and shocking stories. Things are not back to normal and will not be for along time.

Industry experts predict this to last in Hospitality indefinitely as few realise that we have also lost a million oversees workers, many of whom were working in our sector.

Remember  nothing like this has ever happened before and we are watching carefully as they situation develops and hoping that some relief is in sight for both sides but we are not optimistic.

We warned in March 2020 that this would happen, it was sadly all inevitable and possible much worse to come as chefs now feel even more that this is “not the job for them”.  Many have returned excited, but so many more have returned frightened and disillusioned and are already looking to get out.

An industry cannot simply lose that volume of workforce and not be severely affected and If, as many believe, they trade was bad before the crisis, then it’s even worse now that’s for sure, it’s in a mess and will be for a long, long time