How to Handle The Current Skills Shortage In The Kitchen

11/04/24

It’s well documented that there is a shortage of skilled chefs in the industry and that this is placing increased pressure on experienced chefs and younger chefs are being thrust into higher-pressure roles.

If your kitchen is struggling to fill the void, it’s important to maximise the efficiencies in your venue to make the most of your time, ingredients and space.

Portion Cut Meat

Many experienced chefs will break down a whole primal to make the most out of every scrap of meat, and so that is cut to their exact spec every single time. But if you need to save time, it can be easier to get portion cut meat, cut to meet precise specifications by experienced butchers or advanced machines, and it will save significant time and wages – whether your kitchen has the skills or not.

Adapt your menu to meet staff skills and availability

Lots of venues have made changes to strip out any overcomplications and go somewhat back to basics, where ingredients and prep time can cross over different menu options. While each dish can be simplified, it’s also an option to keep some of the dishes that require a higher skill level, but reduce the size of the menu. So that what you do produce – you produce to a very high standard.

Planning

A well-prepared and planned kitchen will help you maximise everyone’s time and skills in the kitchen. From ordering through to deliveries and prep, any inefficiencies can waste time and often the time of the head chef or the sous chef – the ones you need to be putting their skills to best use.

Heat & Serve

Once the domain of cafes and smaller venues, ready-made meals and ingredients are playing an increasing role in high-quality restaurants and venues. Whether it’s a sous vide beef cheek, pastries or baked goods, there are a wide variety of options. Often you can pay a little bit more to get higher quality ready-made products that offer a similar quality to what you could produce, and you’ll make a significant saving overall.

Portioning & Plate Waste

If you don’t have the skills in the kitchen, why would you waste what you have on food that gets thrown away? Determining the appropriate serving size is crucial when it comes to reducing wastage and getting the most out of your time and ingredients. Precise portion control is essential in tackling this issue, and over time you can take note of customers' habits and adjust portion size accordingly.

Up Skilling

Upskilling is easier said than done, you can’t just throw inexperienced staff into the fire and expect a high-quality result straight away. It takes time and effort from the whole team to support team members in learning new skills, but of course, time is the one thing you probably don’t have on your side. There are also significant online resources and intensive culinary short courses that could assist your team.