Letters
pointless Battle of the sexes…
ACCORDING to a report published in the Daily Mail (1 February, page 31), Gordon Ramsay claims that he wouldn't want a pregnant woman working in his kitchen because he couldn't shout at them. Doesn't shouting at anyone show poor kitchen management? I can honestly say that, except for the very odd occasion, I have not had cause to shout at any member of my team.
Call it a woman's trait if you will, but I would much rather have the mutual respect of my team and treat everyone, be they male or female, equally.
Samantha Lancaster
Head Chef,
Horwood House Conference Centre,
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
… and a victory for women chefs
WE HAVE been in the restaurant trade for 15 years. We have employed a number of male chefs because, by tradition, that is the way to go. In the past few months we have employed a female chef. And what a difference. She is clean, she is tidy, she is organised, she never throws tantrums, she never moans and she never shouts. Best of all, she is a very good chef. She is creative with her dishes, insists on making everything herself and works long hours without losing her stamina.
It is about time the marvellous male chefs got brought down to earth with a bump and maybe, when Michelin awards are given, the behaviour of the chef and his rapport with his team will be taken into account. If the diners knew what went on in the kitchen, they would most probably stay away from his restaurant.
Geoffrey Fisher
Whitehall's Restaurant,
Hest Bank, Near Lancaster.
First steps for the child-friendly pub
I would concur with much of David Best's Viewpoint (Caterer, 28 January, page 20).
Children's Certificates have been available for the licensed trade in Scotland since 1990, where the position is that children are allowed into licensed premises whether or not there is a certificate. What they are not allowed is to be "in the bar" of a licensed premises unless that bar has a Children's Certificate. In practice, many licence holders simply do not wish to have children in the bar but are happy for them to be in, say, the restaurant.
When a Children's Certificate exists it is lawful for a person under 14, accompanied by a person of not less than 18, to be present in the part of the premises covered by the certificate (which can be all or part of the premises) at any time when the premises are open to the public. But this can be only between 11am and 8pm (in England it is 10pm).
A great many places that are family/child-friendly will quite happily service their customers without the necessity of a Children's Certificate.
One of the down sides of applying for a Children's Certificate is the significant number of regulations that many licensing boards impose, and these conditions need to be thought through carefully as they can impact on a licence holder's regular business. Quite a lot of thought also needs to be given by a licence holder as to whether or not he wishes to attract family business and the basis upon which he wishes to do so.
John A Loudon
Dundas & Wilson,
Edinburgh.
Midlands salon was the best yet
HOSPITALITY Week 99 saw undoubtedly the most successful Midlands salon yet. As the prize-giving and awards ceremony came to an end in the Knorr Live Theatre at the NEC on Thursday 28 January, more than 547 awards - up from 395 at the previous show in 1997 - had been presented during the week of the Heart of England Salon Culinaire.
Some 800 entries were received for the salon, across 82 competition classes, from as far away as the USA, Germany, Sri Lanka, Malta and Eire as well as all over the UK. The demand from those wishing to compete continues to grow, resulting once again in numerous entries having to be refused in Live Theatre and La Parade des Chefs. To all those who were disappointed, my sincere apologies. I very much hope to see everyone at Hotelympia at Earls Court, London, from 7-11 February 2000. It promises to be a very special salon and show for the millennium.
The standard of exhibits in the Display Salon at Hospitality Week was exceptionally high, with some breathtaking work that was a credit to the talented people in our industry. Throughout the show the Live Theatre was full of tension and excitement and thousands of spectators. La Parade des Chefs continues to go from strength to strength with five of the eight teams winning gold, and both restaurants full each lunchtime.
To all competitors: I am delighted to see such an increase in the number of awards presented. My warmest congratulations. Your skills are a credit to our industry.
The support I received from companies and associations throughout our industry has been excellent. My grateful and sincere thanks go to all the sponsors for their kind support at this prestigious event; also to my team members and judges for their professionalism and dedication; and to the many industry friends and colleagues who have demonstrated their commitment to me and the Heart of England Salon Culinaire.
Peter Griffiths
Salon Director,
Reed Hospitality Exhibitions.
Is age a barrier in catering work?
I FIND it very tedious to keep reading about the shortage of labour in the catering trade when I find that the trade itself will insist on having a cut-off age for employees, irrespective of how much experience they have.
Figures of increasing vacancies have been quoted (Caterer, 28 January, page 9). I have replied to many advertisements over the past months in various magazines and papers but, as of yet, have failed to find a position despite having more than 30 years' experience at all levels of catering. I can only put it down to my age. Many people even fail to reply to my applications.
So let's have no more whingeing about the labour shortage until the trade is serious about employing people. Once they have decided that they really do want people in the trade, then we can address the other issues - but not until then.
BM Bell
Newark, Nottinghamshire.
FURTHER to Forbes Mutch's Opinion about playing the "B side" (Caterer, 4 February, page 20), hotels have to market themselves to potential employees as vigorously as they do to their customers. They need to challenge the common - and very negative - perception of life as a hotel employee.
Let's scotch the myth that a hotel employee is "a dogsbody who works long hours and earns lousy money".
British people are supposed to prefer being served to serving, and yes, hotel staff are there to serve. But what's unique about that? "Serving and satisfying the customer" appears in the mission statements of every kind of business - from newspapers to nuclear power stations.
Nearly all large hotels now operate an open management system that governs by consensus rather than fear. Team working gives people a taste of management and responsibility. There is ample training and ample opportunity for motivated people to rise quickly to the top.
No one is going to pretend that hotel work is a steady nine-to-five profession. But the fact is that many young people are under the impression that the hours demanded (for the pay) are exploitative.
That's why hotels must make a lot of noise about how they are fulfilling the conditions of the Working Time Directive.
Marketing people need to promote the complete day in the life of a hotel employee: not just the work, but the rest and play. Everyone who has worked in a hotel knows the wonderful social life it can offer. Let's tell people about it.
Talented youth is our industry's lifeblood. We need to capture and nurture it.
Dean Vitellozzi
Operations Manager,
In Business Reservations,
Derby.
