The floating forum
Restaurateurs, hoteliers and all those involved in hospitality need to stand up and be counted. And they need to do it frequently. That was the no-nonsense message from Bob Cotton, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association (BHA), speaking at this year's Catering Forum, which took place aboard P&O's flagship Aurora earlier this month.
Cotton said that individuals must work with the BHA to lobby the Government and join other pressure groups if tourism (including the hospitality industry, in government speak) was ever going to get the funding it deserved.
His keynote speech "Getting Tourism on the National Agenda" revealed some telling figures: while the newly devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales were spending £33m and £30m respectively on marketing tourism in their countries, the Government contribution in England amounted to only £10m.
The absence of solid support, Cotton believed, was symptomatic of a wider lack of focus from Westminster. Though tourism was loosely grouped in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Cotton said he often had to lobby the Treasury or some other department, all because it had been made clear that tourism itself was now considered "devolved".
He said this was unjust when tourism was the only growing industry in the private sector, worth £75b every year and employing two million people. He also reminded the assembled delegates that the industry contributed £15b in taxes to the Treasury every year.
Cotton warned that we now lived in the age of consumer legislation - which could turn into silly legislation. It was up to the industry to lobby Westminster, Brussels, Regional Development Agencies and local authorities (particularly important now because of their licensing powers) to protect the interests of the tourist trade. There are 80 constituencies in the UK where tourism is the main industry and Cotton urged professionals to "join trade bodies and professional associations, see your MP and make the political case".
Restaurateurs could do more Gather together a group of hospitality professionals and we all know what they are going to talk about: the skills shortage. This year's Catering Forum was no different.
But in an industry discussion group there were signs of optimism. Restaurateurs conceded that they must take more responsibility for looking after their staff if they were going to overcome the problem. Involvement with colleges, loyalty bonuses, workforce awards and resources for on-the-job training were all areas that industry professionals admitted should be improved.
Illustrating this, the owner of a Scottish restaurant chain revealed how a recently introduced bonus scheme had fostered new enthusiasm in the kitchen. "It has really helped with staff retention," he said, adding that under the scheme many employees now earned an annual bonus of about £700.
The remark bolstered the opinion given by Justine Watson from the Talent Partnership, in her seminar entitled "The JobCentre", that the industry's skills shortage could be reduced if businesses spent more on staff retention rather than recruitment.
Based on the costs of recruitment as well as indirect costs such as the loss of man hours, damage to motivation and the retraining of new staff, Watson calculated that the cost of finding a new employee could be as much as five times that employee's annual salary.
One delegate added that the industry should invest more in colleges: "They need help, but the industry doesn't care because we've tended to believe in the past that the students being turned out are crap."
Another said that very often colleges were not even getting enough applications to fill their catering and hospitality courses, and could not guarantee that the best candidates were selected.
The future of food service Issues discussed at last year's forum - the difficulty in employing English speakers who weren't in transit, and trying to spruce up the image of the business - were still causing problems, said a gathering of contract catering delegates.
One proposal for improving contract catering's image and making it more attractive to clients was "to make ourselves more like the high street".
So what might this mean - bright lights and branded cafeterias, with retail-recognised names bridging the gap between high street and on-site restaurant? With clients driving down costs, units may indeed become as small as high street-style kitchens, with convenience food king and the - perhaps inevitable - de-skilling of the kitchen.
How do you attract chefs - and, more importantly, make them feel valued and that they are progressing - if all they can see is a conveyor belt leading to a mindless career as a microwave operator?
One delegate representing a major contract catering division said he was already at the forum to source ready meals as part of a change of direction in operations. Moreover, he said, the company had pre-empted the growth of some facilities management operators who now offer catering, and expanded into on-site cleaning and security.
But has the focus on real cooking been lost? Of course, there are plenty of smaller, younger companies to provide competition. "We are looking for quality, not discount," said another delegate. "Nor will we look for centralised sourcing, because we want to deliver on our promise of bespoke site purchasing."
Catering forum
Now in its eighth year, the Catering Forum, organised by Richmond Events, is an annual three-day conference held aboard a P&O cruise liner.
It attracts upwards of 700 delegates from operators, suppliers and trade associations and, in addition to providing opportunities for one-to-one discussions, includes a full conference schedule of theatre-style keynote addresses, seminars, workshops and discussion groups.
The 2004 Catering Forum runs from 17 to 20 June and will be held aboard the MV Oriana. Details from Richmond Events: 020 8487 2436. www.cateringforum.com
Ray of sunshine?
The mood of delegates at this year's Catering Forum (if the packed casino each night was anything to go by) was one of steely determination. Yes, things have been tough and will continue to be a challenge for the industry, but 2004 is drawing ever nearer and beginning to promise much better times.
Dougie Adams, head of strategic development at Oxford Economic Forecasting and a seminar speaker, said that despite Europe's continuing economic jitters and America's slow growth, prospects for the world economy remained good. "We predict higher tourism spend next year, with an increase of 10% in UK hospitality and tourism jobs," he said.
Catering for 2000
"You sometimes stand back and ask ‘how much food can a person eat?'," said sous chef Ernest D'Souza, who along with 101 other chefs had the task of providing the fuel to keep the wheels of industry turning. Most of the delegates were probably thinking exactly the same thing at the end of the conference, as three days of four-course lunches and five-course dinners took their toll. Under the direction of executive head chef Haydn Davis, the giant brigade feeds up to 1,950 guests and 850 crew members when the ship is full - a total of 2,800 people. For the guests, that means 8,000 meals are served each day in three restaurants, with the largest one, the Medina, seating 750 diners. For a two-week cruise the boat is loaded with no less than 150 tonnes of food.
Off the record
By request of the organisers and delegates, journalists were asked to regard discussion groups as off-the-record and not to name speakers other than those in public sessions.
Young Guns 2003
Claire Robinson
Age: 22
Studying: BSc (Hons) hotel and tourism management, Sheffield Hallam University
Placement: Walt Disney World, Florida.
Role: Front desk duties in 5,000-bedroom All Star resort
What was the most important thing you learnt on your placement?
Safety, courtesy, show, efficiency - it's the tenet Disney uses to deliver the high standards its guests expect, and with an operation the size of theirs you have to. It works, but I think I'd find it too restrictive long-term.
Dream job? I'd like to be managing my own hotel, nothing too big, but certainly friendly.
What's the main difference between working in the UK and USA? Many people say Americans are much more hospitable and sincere. However, I actually thought it was all a bit superficial. You see this at Disney, where no-matter-what, you have to perform in front of the customer and save the bitching for backstage.
One striking difference between our countries is the prestige a job such as restaurant server attracts in America, and the healthy tips. They really do love to tip staff generously out there and I often found myself defending the British who, because we're not used to it and don't tip as well, are seen as miserly.
Why choose a career in hospitality?
Both my parents were teachers, so I wasn't allowed to do that. I guess it's the travelling part that appeals - and meeting people.
What's the best thing about the hospitality industry?
Dealing with guests. I love sorting out an angry guest. They come over shouting, I solve their problem, and then they have to apologise. It makes the day fun and exciting. You also get to see these people more and find out about them. You only see content guests when they book in and check out.
What do you think of the hospitality industry's image? People seem to think you're a waiter if you work in it, rather than a professional in a business sector comparable to any other. Perhaps attaching a business element to hospitality degrees, or placing it at the front of the title so it's a business degree in hospitality studies, would help us with our image and encourage the public to view us as the professionals we are.
What was the best thing about your prize, attending the Catering Forum? It has been interesting to see what goes on the other side of the fence, and reassuring to see so much of what we were taught at university fits in with the business world. It has been nerve-racking but exciting to be on board.
Martin Brown
Age: 23
Studying: BA(Hons) Hospitality Management at the University of Portsmouth
Placement: Party Ingredients, London-based events caterer and restaurant group.
Role: Commencing with operational roles, moved into supervision, unit and event management - also sales development.
What was the most important thing you learnt on your placement?
University teaches you many things, but my placement taught me how to apply what was practical and, in any particular situations, chuck the rest out of the window. You really do have to develop your skills to fit in with the culture of the company you're at.
What was the highlight of your placement?
It had to be the Queen's Golden Jubilee. We looked after the service for 700 guests at the Guildhall, including Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. It was worlds away from sitting in lectures scribbling notes.
Dream job?
I like managing events and being involved in the organisation. It's the long-term planning and fine detail that appeals to me.
Why choose a career in hospitality? Blame it on my mother, she's a great cook and I had an interest from an early age. I did a food technology GCSE at school and followed this up with a related two-year GNVQ at my local institute in Luton because there wasn't a suitable A Level available. The course gave me a good, practical grounding ahead of my theory-based degree course.
What's the best thing about the hospitality industry? Ultimately, I love the customer contact. Making a significant difference to an event, such as a wedding, is hugely satisfying.
What do you think about the hospitality industry's image? I get wound up about people's naivety. They simply don't now about the many elements that make up our industry, and, at best, think you're a chef. Hospitality as a profession is still seen as something you do when you can't do anything else.
What was the best thing about your prize, attending the Catering Forum?
The opportunity. Rarely do you get this many influential people who - thanks to an official introduction at the event launch - know who you are and are interested.
Young Guns?
The Young Guns competition was devised by Richmond Events, organisers of the Catering Forum, to highlight the importance of young talent in the future of the hospitality industry and to recognise students that excel during their sandwich year.
Developed with the help of Springboard, and supported by Caterer, the two winners were chosen from a shortlist of 10 at a judging lunch in London attended by senior industry figures.
