Craft talk

Is there really a skills crisis looming? Mathew Shropshall Craft Guild of Chefs member and chef-patron at the Royal Oak in Kings Bromley, Staffordshire, doesn't think so.

"The industry is rife with talk about a skills' shortage but I think the people are out there, and that it's more of a problem with retention. We have some of the best catering colleges in the country churning out great students with excellent qualifications and who are well-equipped with the basic skills they need;

it's just the way they are treated and the perception of the industry they have when they come out.

"Everyone in this industry works hard: the hours are long and the workload is tough but it's all about respect, passion and commitment. There are some kitchens you go into and you are shouted at; you're not given the support or you just stagnate picking herbs and washing up. Any good chef in that environment won't last six months and they will leave with the wrong impression of the industry. You have to remember that chefs will only get better and improve if you motivate them and treat them well.

"The pub sector can be tricky to recruit for, as there aren't that many chefs who aspire to be a pub chef. Most youngsters want to go straight into a restaurant and work for Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay.

"With the rise of the gastropub, the bar has really been raised as far as the quality of food goes. Customers expect something different and they want to be excited. This does put pressure on the industry because you need staff with the skills to deliver, but half the time it's also down to enthusiasm. We spent some time experimenting with strawberry and peanut ice cream: it didn't work as the peanut flavour was too strong but the idea was there and we had fun learning.

"For me, moving into the pub sector has been the most rewarding thing I've done. I'm my own boss; I cook using local produce; I make simple dishes that don't take hours to make, and I bake all my own bread. One day I might be out picking carrots from someone's allotment, the next I'll be down at the fish market, knee deep in guts looking for the best scallops. As far as I'm concerned it's a lot less pressure than working in restaurant kitchens and the like, although when I came into the industry I was working 91 hours a week for six months because I was really passionate. Those who aren't passionate won't last six weeks.

"The key is to help bring your employees along and for them to understand they have a lot to learn. They should get out there in the industry, join the Craft Guild, go along to Skills for Chefs, take part in the salon culinaires and learn from their peers. And remember, if they take something from the industry they should try and give something back.

If you are still in the industry after all that, then you've cracked it."

For further information on the Craft Guild of Chefs call

0208 948 3870 or visit the website at www.craft-guild.org​