“I’m Passionate about Food”
Not that old chestnut…..
What a day, what a week, what a month, what a summer, what a year. Never in all my years have I suffered such a miserable period of staff problems. Never have I encountered such a bunch of ignorant, lazy, carefree and ungrateful young people. Remember me telling you about my new team of young hopefulls? Well scrub that.
In three months I have had five ‘chefs’ come into the kitchens I oversee and paint a picture of being grateful for the opportunities afforded them, the offer of college tuition, accomodation in detached houses, the chance of work and travel within the company and above all a kitchen(s) which still make fresh food. These five individuals have then left the company with no notice and no reason. Annoyed parents have called asking why their ‘child’ has been working ‘70-80 hours a week’, well, news to me. Want to see their rotas? Some have left on pay day claiming a weekend of unworked pay, smashed staff accomodation, taken property, the list goes on.
The five I mention are just the ones who have left in the middle of a busy week or shift. Sneaking out of the back door. I’ve had twice that leave within a week because they miss their boyfriend/girlfriend/parents despite me asking them if they are prepared to move away from home. Another said the work was too hard, citing cutting a carrot into four as an example, others off sick every week. On it goes.
So it’s yet another weekend of being kicked in the teeth, another fee to pay an employment agency, another month spent looking for a candidate, another month waiting for them to start and then wondering how long it would be before they too up and leave.
In the meantime I along with my senior chefs will have to pick up the pieces, sarifice our free time and continue to have to show enthusiasm for training young people who will keep us guessing right up until the end.
The sad thing about this is that there are plenty of chefs who have become sick of it and no longer bother making the effort. It is a sad reflection of the industry and society as a whole but the onus should not be entirely at the feet of the chef or manager, they have a chance of paid employment with training and huge career potentials but that has to be earned. Surely?
So here’s a snapshot of a young head chef who works for me, he is yet to develop my ’skin’ so every time a ‘chef’ he has spent time and effort with calls it quits at the drop of a hat it affects him greatly. How long before he questions the point in it all? My answer to him is to direct all of his energies into those few who really do want to do it.
Sometimes it’s just thankless…
The Chef and the Apprentice
Chef,
it’s enough to make you clean down and go home for good !
I suspect the problem is everywhere - it’s the youth of today.
I know thats a generational old chestnut but nowadays it really is.
I was told the other day by a shop manager that he had parents on the phone complaining that the bag the shop gave their 6 foot tall 15 year old son to put the newspapers in he delivered at a weekend was “digging into his shoulder” !
When you consider our grandfather went to work at 11 years of age starting at 6am every morning so as not to go into an orphanage . . .
Who’s going to pay for all benefits, compensation, counselling in 15 years time when everybody currently over 40 bows out ?
To mirror your last comment on my site:
I don’t envy you, I really don’t
Best
Rod
August 29, 2009 @ 8:40 am
Miles,
A very depressive situation now and for the future.
Why not e’mail this to all our Party Leaders with copy to the newspapers and headline: “This is the culture that has been created in thiis country - how will YOU address it?”
My heart goes out to you and your committed fellow workers. THEY should get all the support available.
Anne
August 29, 2009 @ 9:54 am
Rod,
The things I could say! Come back to the blog when I retire
Miles
August 29, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
Anne,
Thanks, but they won’t. Labour turned its back on the lower paid workers. Someone needs to tell them there are other workforces outside of the NHS who are a sight worse off.
Miles
August 29, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
Sorry to hear of your sufferings Miles!
Generally agree with the above postings, but don’t agree that it is simply a Labour issue becasue we often unfortunately see the same thing over here in the US, regardless of the party in power.
It is a larger, generational issue - This generation whether it be X or Y tends to be a generation of “the open hand” as I call it. They are takers that continue to “take” from their parents well into what is usually considered maturity. I have colleagues just a bit older than me buying “starter homes” for their adult children. When are these children ever going to stand on their own two feet?
When I landed my first job after graduate school - I bought my mum a two-week vacation in Egypt to thank her for all of the things she did for me as a kid. She went off by herself to realize a dream that she kept putting off to pay for my school bills and lessons etc. . . So I thought it was only payback (in a good sense).
You may wish to work an “exit clause” into the contract. Something like, ‘If employment is terminated prior to X by either the company or the employee Y conditions will ensue’. The US Navy has had to do something like this to stop itself from handing out so many “dishonorables” to young people who enlist and then leave.
Best of luck . . .
Laura
August 29, 2009 @ 9:51 pm
Laura,
A great comment thank you. We in England have become a benefit dependant state with many young people no longer seeing the point in taking a low paid job at trainee level when they can get as much in benefits.
The sad fact is that it is now far too easy to quit on anything and everything and I don’t see that changing for the better.
Miles
August 29, 2009 @ 10:23 pm
Miles,
I’m so sorry. I remember how enthusiastic you were back then. A naïve question, but does it have to be angencies that you employ through? Are there any pitfalls in going direct to the colleges, getting a tutor in your back pocket and creaming off the best of them?
GDave
August 30, 2009 @ 4:28 pm
GDave,
Tried four colleges in my area, offered paid work experience for students, apprentice programmes etc and their answer was ‘it’s not our job to find them work’.
Bear in mind first and second year students with no experience of a working kitchen aren’t exactly doing me a favour.
Miles (now losing at least the first two days of his holiday)
August 30, 2009 @ 10:39 pm
As Laura said, we are on the same track over here, Miles. It does appear to be a generational issue, but I do believe the more government “entitlement” programs we create and expand on, the more people expect from the government and the less they do. And the “welfare state” not only survives, but flourishes — full of people who don’t belong there. It is one thing to help our citizens who cannot help themselves, but when we support those who simply don’t want to work because the bag of newspapers hurts their shoulder, we’re in trouble.
Actually, I’ll leave it at that. I could launch into a full-throttle rant right about now, but I’ll resist as it’s too early in the morning!
I feel bad for you and your committed crew, Miles. I also admire your work ethic.
Melissa
August 31, 2009 @ 12:14 pm
Melissa,
A very valuable comment thank you, ‘work ethic’ is losing its place in society I’m afraid and it’s not just in my ‘profession’ which sadly doesn’t gain the respect or level of candidates other careers have.
I swear I silently thank my parents to myself on a regular basis for telling me how it would be if I didn’t pull my finger out. I was left under no illusion that free accomodation was not going to happen if I didn’t go out and work. Bloody right as well.
Miles
August 31, 2009 @ 4:41 pm