Ken Burgin

Kitchen Recruitment

Podcast 9: Take a Fresh Look at Finding and Keeping Kitchen Staff

Foodservice operators need to be more creative and flexible in their search for staff, and more thoughtful about how they look after those they have. It’s more than just offering higher pay – that might be part of the equation, but there are many other factors involved.

In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Paul Rifkin. a chef consultant who works with a wide variety of clubs, pubs and foodservice operators. He’s a practical optimist, and has some great suggestions on how to look for staff with new eyes and an open mind.

Topics they discussed:

  • You’re by nature an optimist – what keeps you positive about the hospitality industry?
  • What are the most common mistakes operators make when recruiting kitchen staff?
  • What are some elements commonly left out of job ads, that will affect the response rate?
  • How should operators think ‘outside the box’ when recruiting for cooking positions – eg the mumforce and the ‘popforce’?
  • Are there any advantages to regional work that country operators should be highlighting?
  • Any other advice for regional operators who are looking for chefs and cooks?
  • What’s your magic touch for recruiting and retaining young workers and school students?
  • How does an older chef or kitchen manager create an atmosphere that’s attractive to a young and diverse team?
  • What sort of tech and modern systems should we be adding to our kitchen as part of creating a more attractive workplace?

🎧 Subscribe to Hospo Reset Podcast on Apple Podcasts. on Google Podcasts, on Spotify or your podcast app of choice. Here is the full list of Hospo Reset podcasts.

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