A brief video of a passionate young chef cooking his way. Contrast that with a social media post about the long hours suffered by so many chefs around the world. Another about the deaths and illness caused by accidents and overwork in kitchens.
Ned, a rising chef doing what he loves and enjoying it. He also has a very cool and calm boss, Honey Child, aka Toni Burnett-Rands who shepherds her flock with care. But how many can fall on their feet like that?
An industry in crisis? Yes, I’ve said it before and I hope everyone’s listening. Because we need to act. I’m tired of everyone quoting statistics about dire conditions and projections for an industry that is so important around the globe. What do stats do? Highlight a problem? Yes, but without a solution, there’s no point.
THERE. IS. NO. POINT. So my point? I want to change this. It’s why I’m working long hours like a beaver to develop this blog so that Stage 2 – our membership site can prosper and gain interest so that we can provide solutions. 50% of restaurants fail in the first 5 years. 50%!!! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
That doesn’t mention the collateral damage to the human beings involved at every level. Not just the owners who lose their houses and relationships, but the staff who lose their jobs, their livelihood, their confidence. And as margins are squeezed, so are the people.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO WORK 15 HOUR DAYS TO KEEP THEIR JOB. NO. ONE.
Our membership site, which will launch when ready, will hopefully go a long way to addressing the issues facing every industry member today. What will it contain?
- Videos and pod casts and posts interviewing top chefs – gleaning their knowledge, their advice, their opinions
- Booklets with templates for staff manuals, check lists, training sessions and guidance
- Discussion points where you, our members can ask the important questions you need answers to
- Reference points to other industry people who do niche support well and thoroughly
- Wholistic support by experts in relieving stress, making staff mindful, and clearing up the detritus of pressured lives
- Tips on how to reduce waste, make the business more profitable, and sustainable
- ETC…
What will it not be? It will not be a punishing series of rubbish courses by self-appointed experts in Social Media.
It will not be a marketing funnel. It will not be a union that pretends to support its workers while the top layers feed at the trough.
And the best part? 20% of the profits will go to support chefs, get better deals, pay and conditions around the world. Sponsor scholarships, support young and old alike, to make the industry what it should be.
Proud, strong and clean.
But we need you – our readers – to give your input. Tell us what you need, what you want, how you can see us making the industry better for all. I’m throwing down the gauntlet now. Speak up, let’s do it. Together we can be so strong that those people who need to change, will have no option but to listen.
TRY IT. SPEAK!
