Hilton Launches UK Trainee Chef Recruitment Drive

The global hotel chain, Hilton International, is recruiting for 50 new chef apprentices in the UK, to try to combat a worsening shortage of trainee chefs.

The company has launched an online recruitment drive for the junior positions, after research with a number of hospitality recruitment agencies showed that there is a long-term and deeply ingrained shortage of trained junior chefs.

Hilton HR representative, Ben Bengougam, said that they wanted to be able to attract and train long-term employees who would have some of the best skills in the industry.

“The Chef Apprenticeship Academy is aimed at nurturing and developing a new generation of chefs, with each apprentice having the prospect of a full-time commis chef role on completion of the programme,” he said.

Hospitality recruitment executive, James Tucker, said that the shortage of trained chefs is becoming a real problem for the industry, despite the surge in interest in recent years in gourmet and modern cooking, popularised by a glut of television shows.

“The number of applications for junior chef jobs is even lower than the figure for those applying for senior posts,” he said. “Many junior chefs are now finding themselves promoted to senior chef very quickly. And many of those leaving college to go into the profession are expecting to gain promotion quickly as well.”