What Is A Relief Chef And Why Does Hospitality Need Them?
What exactly IS a relief chef and what do they do? Could you be one, or do you need one? Let's find out what being a relief chef is all about and why they're an important cog in the hospitality industry. Plus, discover why you may well want to be - or hire - one.
Relief Chefs: What You Need To Know
Get the kettle on and read on for your essential guide to relief chefs.
What Is A Relief Chef?
A relief chef is a confident and experienced chef who works in a series of temporary kitchen placements rather than having a permanent job in a restaurant or hotel.
Many people prefer the relief chef lifestyle over permanent work.
And due to the fact that people move around a lot in the hospitality industry, relief chefs come in very handy for site managers.
Because of the nature of the role, good relief chefs tend to be great at adjusting to a new environment, picking up new menus, using a variety of different equipment, and cooking a variety of cuisines.
What Are The Advantages Of Hiring A Relief Chef For Your Kitchen?
There’s a shortage of chefs in the UK, with UKHospitality reporting a 10% shortage of head chefs and as much as 21% for production chefs.
It’s no wonder site managers across the country are struggling to fill a gap in their kitchens.
There are many benefits to hiring a chef to work in your kitchen on a temporary basis - here are just a few:
Plug a gap and keep your site open for business
Hire someone experienced and reliable
Get a chef who is adaptable to different environments, food trends, techniques and processes
Feel confident your chef will be knowledgeable about hygiene and food safety
You don't need to spend much time on supervision or training
Recruit at very short notice if you've found yourself in a pickle!
Using a specialist temp chef agency means they've already been screened and vetted, saving you time interviewing and checking references.
Find out more about hiring a relief chef here.
Flexible Schedule, Work-Life Balance & More: The Benefits For Chefs
Life as an agency chef will suit you if you love to cook but you're fed up with the traditional chef lifestyle of long hours, high stress, and little downtime.
You'll soon see things are different when you take regular temporary work as one of our brigade of chefs.
As a CJUK temp chef, you can expect:
Great placements working for good employers
Get paid for every hour you work (we make sure of it!)
Opportunities to travel, see new places and meet new people
Expand your culinary horizons turning your hand to new cuisines and menus
Enjoy more flexibility, freedom and a better work-life balance - relief work allows you to take time off in between placements to see the world or spend time with loved ones
Stay in employment as much or as little as you need to.
Find A Chef Or Discover Your Next Opportunity With A Specialist Relief Chef Agency
CJUK is a specialist temp chef recruitment agency based in Blackburn, Lancashire.
Our experienced team specialises in matching head chefs, sous chefs, and chefs de partie with great kitchens on a temporary basis.
We're here to ensure you stay in work as a chef, or stay in business as a site manager.
We have a network of experienced chefs on our books, and we work with clients across the hospitality industry, spanning hotels, restaurants, pubs, care homes, and education establishments.
If you're looking for your next role or need a chef fast, we'd love to assist you - get in touch with our team on info@cjuk.co.uk or 01254 355 666.