-Celebrity chef backs Hospitality Rising campaign, hailing industry as ‘extraordinary’ place to work-
One of the world’s most respected chefs, Raymond Blanc OBE, said parents must see the hospitality industry as a place they want their kids to work in as he backed a major recruitment campaign, Hospitality Rising.
Speaking in an exclusive new Hospitality Rising podcast, the celebrity chef, who is Chef Patron of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, believes that in order to attract young people into the industry, managers must also provide support, care and patience along the way.
Having started working in the kitchen after moving from France to England back in the 70s, Raymond is the latest among big-name chefs to back the bold Hospitality Rising campaign, ‘Rise Fast, Work Young,’ which has been launched in a bid to help fill the industry’s 400,000 vacancies.
Raymond believes now is one of the most important times for opportunities to be made within the industry and urged parents to teach their kids that it’s a great place to work.
He said: “The movement and awareness of Hospitality Rising is so important because it can connect a whole nation. You have the power of connecting people at all sorts of different social and academic levels”.
“It’s a great time to be bringing young people to our industry and to show them how exciting, and how extraordinary the industry can be.
You’re talking about working in a very smart, elegant environment which is all about beauty and refinement, and making people happy.
“And because of the changes and the revolution we’re creating in our industry, I hope that every parent would think one day, yes, I would want to put my son or my daughter in this industry.
“It’s up to us to change the industry, which is about people, training, supporting the young, and caring for them.”
Alongside Raymond, the campaign is being backed by Michelin-starred chefs Tom Kerridge and Angela Hartnett, as well as brands including Pret A Manger, Prezzo and Hilton, and much more.
The recruitment drive, which officially launched last month, highlights how quickly workers can climb the hospitality ladder with the powerful message ‘you can’t go further faster.’
It comes as figures from KAM, which is supporting the Hospitality Rising effort, show that only 1 in 5 people would consider a hospitality job and 42 per cent of current employees are thinking about leaving the sector.
Raymond continued: “Food, it sounds easy, but it’s a skilled craft. This business today can offer any young person, or older person, avenues where you can be everything you wish.
“Through this craft you can travel anywhere across the world, create your own business and pass it on to other young people.
“It’s up to us to change the industry. People say oh the young, they don’t want to work.’ I believe this is wrong – give them a good manager, a patient manager – and believe me, that young person will grow into someone who is going to be a great success for himself in his life and will enjoy it.
“Training is a crucial part in helping a young or older person to be confident. When you’re confident you feel in control; it’s like a warm, fuzzy feeling inside you.
“So, beyond the working hours and beyond the training, there’s so much that an employer can actually do, and it’s up to us to do it.”
By asking backers to pledge £10 per employee, the recruitment campaign aims to reach a £5m target, allowing for a “government-sized” collaborative campaign that will change the perception of the industry and bolster its workforce for good.
Mark McCulloch, founder of Hospitality Rising and campaign director, said: “Like Raymond says, the hospitality industry can only become a greater place by ensuring we have employers who create the best training and support for those who wish to kick start a career within the industry.
“Through Hospitality Rising, we are trying our best to create a new era in hospitality by working with the best employers who care for their teams and are committed to changing it for the better.
“We also want employers, role models and parents to shine a light on the opportunities and promise of where hospitality can lead. This movement is all making the industry a better place for all, including creating an environment that supports young people and gives them the confidence to be the best they can be.”
To see the full range of Hospitality Rising podcasts featuring backers and chefs, visit the campaign’s Youtube channel.
A full list of vacancies can be found at www.hospitalityrising.com
