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Brian

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  1. Brian

    Justice for Chef G

    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.
  2. Brian

    The VAT squabble

    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.
  3. Lately, we have a series of members complaints all involving TOIL.( Time off in Lieu) With members wishing to know their legal rights revolving around time owing to them though overtime worked. The answer is quite simple…you have almost NO rights at all where TOIL is concerned as it is a “gentleman’s” agreement between the employer and employee and there are currently no laws that govern TOIL, it is in fact a civil contact between 2 parties, difficult and expensive to prove in court. Occasionally there may be a written agreement but even then it can get quite complex and often you will find that the employer will dig in their heels, and still refuse you the time off that you are owed, and there is little you can do about it. So what is the answer to TOIL? TOIL works fine when it suits BOTH parties and there is an honesty between you but be very very weary of complex time controlled systems that monitor each and every hour that you work over your time and NEVER be in position where substantial amounts of time are ever owed to you or enter into a contract where TOIL is closely monitored. Our advice will always be this. Stay in control of what is owed to you in TOIL and never be owed more than your kitchen can easily give you back without employing another chef to do your job. TOIL is one of the few things that is still unregulated so please be very careful with what is owed to you.
  4. 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?
  5. (C) Workplace Coercive Control occurs when someone intentionally targets an employee(s) to injure, damage or destroy their presence in the workplace. This usually consists of a campaign of terror until the perpetrator(s) underhandedly forces and ends the targets working life. So,we've all been there for sure, that one person who just HAS to have the final say no matter how stupid or unreasonable it is,but why? what is all the fuss about and just why are they intent on "power trippin" ? Coercive Control is a growing phenomenon,some people describe it as "gaslighting" but in fact it is a subtle but very dangerous form of mind control that is designed to weaken your resolve and demean you to level of subordination.You will find that this behavior often stems from their homelife and they will often have a history of intimidation within their family,often abusing their spouses and children. Nasicism in its extreme,where the perpetrator not only doesn't care,but doesnt even realise the damage and hurt they are doing,and that damage can be very damaging indeed and very long lasting also. They often put constant pressure upon you to agree with them or think and act as they would want you to,but it often them having that "final word" which is the telling point.You will also find that these people may well have been involved in other conflicts such as a divorce or a custody battle. This person often tends to pretend they're "in charge" or act in an overbearing and aggressively powerful manner, pulling your strings as no one else does. They may do it as a way of getting even or a way of getting you into trouble,denying they ever said anything after giving you an instruction or advice that has gone wrong or backfired. However the question is..is it illegal? They answer is yes,it is illegal,but it is a very difficult thing to prove and only the most diligent person can hope to succeed in any accusation of coercive bullying.Meticulous Diary's need to be kept and your Union informed at the very earliest as well as any taped conversations with the perpetrator. For sure though,standing up to them is no easy thing.The very fact that you dare to question their authority sends a signal to their brain warning them of a possible threat to their power,it frightens them and confuses them as they are used to getting their way through bullying. However for those that can and do,it can be a life changing revelation,and a soul searching venture that changes you for their better,making you stronger and wiser in a way you never thought possible.
  6. In 2021 we heralded the Government’s plan to upgrade much of the Current Employment Legislation. The Good Work Plan was the brainchild of Mathew Taylor and out of almost 50 Recommendations the current Conservative government had accepted the vast majority of them. Sadly because of the Pandemic and the slow return to Preliminary pace much of this has been delayed. However the good news is that a whole range of draft legislation is going though Parliament as we speak and whilst we still have along way to go there is some great news for those who always said nothing ever changes in our profession. Here is a brief look at some of the changes that will affect chefs in the UK. Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill A Private Members’ Bill to give workers and agency workers the right to request more predictable terms and conditions of work. The Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons and is due to be considered by the House of Lords shortly. It is being backed by the Government, so is likely to come into effect at some point if that remains the case. This is MASSIVE for the Industry and will give those on Zero-hour Contracts may now have the right to be given a a more predictable contract according to their history of work. In other words, if a after a period of time (to be determined) you have worked standard 20-40-hour week (or applicable) you will be able to request a predictable contract based of your history of work. The new law will also allow you to continue on a Zero option if so preferred. This will also apply to those shifts that traditionally get cut in the middle of a shift due to lack of business, in future if your rostered for 8 hours your employer must honour that also unless you have a flexible arrangement that adds up to your contracted hours at the end of the week. Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill Broadly speaking, the Worker Protection Bill intends to:Re-introduce the duty to protect employees from third-party harassment, and impose a positive duty on employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, giving the Tribunal powers to uplift compensation by 25 per cent where employers fail to do so. This Bill will be a huge deterrent to those employers who still turn a blind eye to sexual harassment. It will effectively allow tribunals to increase the any compensation award by a massive 25% .This also means that employers will be more likely to settle “out of court” if they feel that a Tribunal will punish them even further. Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill The Bill aims to give employees and other workers greater flexibility by having the right to request variations to particular terms and conditions of employment. The main change proposed is for the right to request flexible working to become a day one right, removing the current 26-week qualifying period. Although some changes have been made to this Bill it now means that workers will have the right (from day 1) to a request flexible work pattern as opposed to the current 26 week lead in period. However, it only gives you the right to request and not the “right to have “ It is a very contentious Bill and will go through more changes and amendments before it is finalised. Miscarriage Leave Bill The Bill aims to give three days of statutory paid leave to employees who have experienced miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy before 24 weeks of pregnancy. Wonderful news for those women who go through the distress of losing a baby, its not a huge win but it’s a good start.
  7. 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...
  8. 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."
  9. good work Brendon,this is a useful guide
  10. great stuff Brendon,how about a link to FSA on for their free Allergens Certificate ?
  11. This coming week Tuesday 24th October 2023, we see The National Chefs Union taking the very rare step of prosecuting an Employer. Judgement is due in a case in London concerning Chef Matt,who is owed almost £2000 in wages and asked Unichef for help and support.This case has taken 2 years to bring to its conclusion,testimony of Chef Matt's determination and of the Unions strength and loyalty in sticking with such a difficult and long case. The facts are simple,The chef did his work,there was no complaints,however the owner decided simply not to pay him because "he could" and the fact he has a history of doing this to other employees. Unichef deplore "wages theft" it is a despicable act and is illegal.The case has not been contested,only the owner of the business wanted to make the chef suffer for as long as he could? Narcissistic and nasty people like this are not fit to employ people and this week he will feel the strength and power of a dedicated Chefs Union,this week the industry also will wake up to the fact that the National Chefs Union will fight unfair and unjust cases to the end. This case is the very reason we set up a Union,to protest,support and care for those chefs who cant defend themselves.Please wish Unichef and Chef Matt every best wishes.
  12. oops...in the news again hahaha.. Great article by Sammy Gecsoyler in today's Guardian about Michelin Restaurants and how they ( the few ) are changing their ways to be more "chef friendly",forgetting the fact that they have HAD to do this to keep chefs ? Those contributing seem to think that all the bad points in the industry have been miraculously erased and that we no longer suffer discrimination,bullying,harassment,prejudice,wages theft and wrongful dismissal etc etc !! I gave my opinion on what they have said,but what do you say..are they right or are they still living in a" Michelin Bubble" would love your thoughts as always please... New generation of UK chefs taking the heat out of the kitchen | Restaurants | The Guardian WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM A work-life balance may have been unheard of in high-end kitchens in the past, but restaurants are now having to make changes
  13. 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 ??
  14. Brian

    Passive Cultures

    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.
  15. Brian

    Why chefs die young

    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.
  16. 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
  17. Brian

    Jamie's bang on !

    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
  18. OMG...this is quite some case!..well worth reading... In essence the case seemed to fairly trivial,most of it could have been sorted at an earlier stage but it really does goes to show some of the very poor management decisions that we see all to often at Unichef. They obviously 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.
  19. Brian

    Tip,Tip..Hooray !!

    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.
  20. 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.
  21. Almost 60 surge in pubs shutting for good this year WWW.THECATERER.COM The rate of pubs being demolished or redeveloped increased by almost 60 during the first three months of the year as energy bills continue to batter the sector.
  22. 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.
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