Three young Irish chefs in semi- finals of the San Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Three young Irish chefs have qualified for the semi-finals of the San Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year, beating thousands of chefs from over 90 countries.

Killian Crowley from Michelin-starred Aniar, Michael Tweedie from Adare Manor, and Romuald Bukaty from The Clayton, Dublin Airport have all qualified for the semi-finals of the prestigious semi-final of the competition.

Killian Crowley is Chef de Partie at Galway’s Aniar Restaurant will hope with his Turbot, kohlrabi, sea purslane dish will win out at the finals in London this month. Limerick Chef Michael Tweedie, head chef at The Oakroom Restaurant at Adare Manor, will present his Duncannon Lobster- a ravioli of scallop, lobster and basil, lightly spiced lobster bisque while Chef de Partie at The Clayton, Dublin Airport Romuald Bukaty will present his ‘Hey John Dory’ dish for the competition.

The three young chefs have been progressed to the semi-finals out of thousands of applications submitted from over 90 different countries. The semi-final will take place in Aveqia, London on Monday 20th of November, with the finals taking place in June 2018. Michelin-starred chef Mickael Viljanen from The Greenhouse, Dublin, will judge the semi-final along with chefs Angela Hartnett, Alyn Williams and Phil Howard.

Each finalist will be assigned a “Mentor Chef” (a member of their regional jury), who will provide them guidance on how to improve their signature dishes and support them in their preparation for the international finals.

Irish chefs have a successful track record in the competition with Irishman Mark Moriarty the inaugural winner in 2015. Moriarty went on to become an international ambassador for Irish food.

Dublin Hotels

Dublin hotels full over 300 nights of the year

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

There has been a call for the development of new hotel properties after a Fáilte Ireland report found that limitations on accommodation capacity in key areas are a major barrier to future growth. Reports have shown that business is strong from overseas visitors and bookings and performance are ahead of last year, despite a decline in U.K candidates.

Total overseas arrivals to Ireland from January to August show a record 6.7 million visitors, which is an increase of 2.5%. This increase comes from an increase in the number of North American visitors, up by 18%. This increase shows that North Americans have overtaken UK visitors, traditionally the most important group to the Irish hospitality industry, in terms of revenue spent.

There have been 5 hotels opening this decade in Dublin City Centre and only 1 new hotel opening this year. Property management company JLL have called upon industry stakeholders including planning authorities, hoteliers and developers to encourage and pursue the development of new hotels in the capital’s city centre.

Commenting on the report, Senior Vice President at JLL, Dan O’Connor said, “New hotel rooms are urgently needed in Dublin City and we welcome the publication of Failte Ireland’s latest SOAR report which calls for new hotel supply now.” He added, “With one of the highest hotels occupancy levels of any European City, new hotel supply is necessary to cater for the significant leisure, corporate and group demand now facing Dublin City. We will lose out on millions of spend for the capital, if we don’t deliver new hotel and apart-hotel supply swiftly.”

 

 

Barry Whelan Excel Recruitment

CEO Barry Whelan on Budget ‘18 and it’s impact on retail

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

CEO of Excel Recruitment Barry Whelan offers his thoughts on yesterday’s Budget and its effects on both the retail and hospitality industries

Budget day is always a big news day and yesterday’s announcement by Minister for Finance Pascal Donohoe was no different. Among the old reliables and headline items, there were few big-ticket wins for business owners but the income changes, reductions in USC and increases in social welfare will be a welcome way to encourage and increase consumer spending. There was a number of important measures that will affect both the retail and hospitality sectors, both directly and indirectly. Below are some of the highs and lows….

9% VAT retained- Firstly, I was delighted to hear that VAT at 9% was retained. Excel’s hospitality division has long supported the #KeepVatat9 campaign and its retention yesterday will be greeted with a sigh of relief from many in the hospitality industry. The rate is crucial in keeping not only the tourism and hospitality industries but the Irish economy as a whole, encouraging overseas visitors, economic growth and jobs nationwide. The move will also benefit retailers in tourist hubs.

Sugar tax- While it was a surprise to no-one, many retailers will still be concerned about the sugar tax introduced yesterday. The new tax will mean a 30 cent per litre of tax will be placed on drinks with over 8g of sugar per 100ml. The tax has caused huge controversy and debate, with major lobby groups campaigning furiously for and against in the months leading to the budget. There are still vastly varying opinions about whether it will exactly make a difference and its success in the UK, Mexico, France and beyond. It is important that the results are monitored closely to ensure the tax fulfils its public health agenda.

Cigarettes & Alcohol- A price hike for cigarettes is always on the cards but it’s still going to agitate retailers, particularly when combined with the new sugar tax. The hike will undoubtedly lead to the increase in cross-border shopping and cigarette smuggling, already big problems for hard-working retailers. There will be mixed feelings regarding excise duty on alcohol, relief that it hasn’t gone up but also disappointment it hasn’t be reduced, particularly with the worry of structural separation still hanging over retailers heads.

Brexit Loan Scheme- While it’s still unclear what the Brexit Loan Scheme will look like, the €300m scheme will still a welcome announcement for SMEs trying to safeguard against the unknowns of Brexit. As the only country to have a land border with the U.K and the country bound to be most affected when the U.K leave the EU, it’s vital we begin to protect vulnerable businesses. The success of the scheme will rely on how quickly the details can be ironed out. How competitive will the ‘competitive rates’ be? What will be the eligibility requirements be? How will the government ensure those business most in need will avail of the Scheme?

Barry Whelan Excel Recruitment

The Counter Offer Conundrum

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Here at Excel Recruitment, we’re seeing counter offers becoming more and more common as companies have to try harder to attract and retain top talent. CEO Barry Whelan tells us why the counter-offer can often create more problems than it can solve….

I first wrote about counter offers for Shelflife magazine in 2012, but the current economic climate means it is well and truly a candidate’s market and counter-offers are becoming increasingly common. It takes a lot of time and money for a company to find and replace valuable staff and employers are becoming even more reluctant to let quality employees go. While most think of ‘counter-offers’ as matching or improving on an offered package, savvy employers will do their homework on the why behind an employee making a move and will try to ‘counter’ this reason for leaving.

As recruiters, we make it our mission to understand why a person wants a change. It takes time and effort for a person to do up their CV, research the market and come into meet us and in my experience it’s rarely just the number on their payslip that’s motivating them. Getting to the root of their reason for leaving is vital information when searching for a new job for them.

So, is accepting a counter-offer ever a good idea? My team and I have found that over the years, the answer is overwhelmingly No. Here are a few reasons why you should think twice before accepting a counter-offer from the employer you were determined to leave in the first place.

1.You had a good reason to leave, that probably hasn’t changed

Like I said earlier, it takes a lot of effort to start looking for jobs and you likely had a very good reason for wanting to leave. Unless it was solely pay, it’s highly unlikely this reason has changed. There’s a high probability that you’ll be looking for a new role again in no time at all, and this time you may not be in as good a position to find a new job.

 

2.They’ll question your loyalty

By telling your employer you’ve either been offered or accepted another position, you’re essentially saying you’ve been unhappy. So even if your company does counter, how can they trust that you won’t eventually stray again?

The bond of trust has been broken, you will leave the company at some stage, but perhaps now you have shown your cards it will be on their terms, not yours. When you are no longer perceived as part of the long-term future, you may find yourself passed up for promotion

3.You’ll burn bridges

Another company has invested their time, money and faith in you through the selection process and decided that you’re the right person for their role so losing you to a counter-offer isn’t something they will take lightly. By accepting a counter offer you will have burnt a bridge with the company looking to employ you. Some companies view this very dimly and if you find your circumstances changing they will not entertain your application again

4.You could hurt your future progression

There’s a chance your employer has given you a counter offer made up of a promotion or the pay rise that was coming your way anyway. By accepting their offer, you’re sending the message that your now satisfied with x amount and could be inadvertently moving any chance of progressing through the business even further down the line.

 

 

Tackling the Chef Crisis: Eimhear O’Dalaigh

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

In Part 2 of our Tackling the Chef Crisis series, consultant Eimhear O’Dalaigh discusses how she has seen the problem progress throughout her career as both a Chef and in recruitment…

The Chef crisis is not new, but have you seen the problem change and/or worsen in recent years?

Throughout my career as a Chef the shortage of chefs was always omnipresent but yes, the problem is definitely getting worse. We see it on a day-to-day basis in recruitment, there are definitely fewer chefs answering ads, responding to emails or willing to continue pursuing a career in the industry.

What, in your opinion, is the main cause of the chef shortage?

The job itself is quite hard and requires a lot of dedication and drive to remain in the industry long-term. The fall-out rate is very high in the industry. When I trained there were 30 in my class and out of this, only one is still working as a chef. Personally, I feel the hours are the predominant problem.

Is the problem industry-wide or worse depending on location, restaurant vs hotel or star rating?

I feel the problem is affecting restaurants, hotels and catering facilities of all levels across the board but it does seem that both the lower and higher end [Michelin and Five Star] of the spectrum seem to be having an easier time of it in terms of attracting and retaining quality Chefs.

What in your opinion is the solution(s) to the problem?

From the government’s side of things, I think a comprehensive training programme needs to be reinstated [like Cert] with proper work placements and from the industry side, the weekly hours need to be capped at 45. Often businesses are just shooting themselves in the foot by overworking their staff so they leave the industry and then don’t learn from their mistakes.All sides need to sit down and look at the problem and the potential solutions. They should get ideas from chefs, restaurants, educators, hoteliers, students and the people who have left the industry. The Government should also look at a program, similar to the one they use for nurses as there is a large pool of highly trained and experienced chefs in the states and the middle east that could be enticed over here if a visa programme were available
Do you think that there is a lack of incentives to work in the industry? What can be done to attract people to careers in the industry?

That is a difficult one to answer. Comprehensive training programs, treating it as a profession and not as a trade, trying to be a little better with work/life balance.

Meet the Newest Members of our Expert Team

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

It’s been a busy couple of months for Excel Recruitment as we’ve continued working closely with great clients and candidates in both retail and hospitality. We’ve remained the ‘Number 1 Retail Recruitment Company’ working with some of the biggest names in retail, both Irish and International brands. Our hospitality wing has had a busy summer not only filling permanent roles with top hospitality groups nationwide but also providing a wide range of staff for some of the most high-profile events in the Irish hospitality calendar.

Due to our continued success, our team has grown over the past few months and we’ve added a number of talented recruiters to our ranks. Each brings a wealth of industry experience and knowledge and have fit right in with Excel’s expert team. To celebrate, we thought we would take a moment to introduce them and say a big welcome to the team!

Adrian Purcell

AdrianProfilePicFinal

Adrian joined the Excel Temporary Hospitality earlier this year, adding his extensive experience and comprehensive industry-wide knowledge to our expert team. Adrian is passionate about people, and has the natural ability to engage with people and develops solid and long standing relationships with clients and candidates alike.

Adrian has a large database of loyal temporary staff, many of whom he has worked with for years, making him ideally placed to delivering exceptional staffing solutions. Equally, his attentiveness and diligence when dealing with his clients’ make him one of the most successful recruitment consultants in the business.

Madeline Hanniffy

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Madeline looks after some of the top entertainment venues and hotels in Ireland. Madeline has more than 15 years working in the hospitality industry. Beginning her career in New York, Madeline has gained a huge amount of experience in many aspects of the sector.

Madeline returned to Ireland in 2006 and since then she has been supplying hospitality staff to the top venues and hotels around the country, running multiple entertainment venues with large volume staff at very high profile entertainment events. Madeline understands her clients and stakes her reputation on offering outstanding customer service and as a result has built up great relationships with both clients and contractors.

Luca Zelli

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Luca joins our Grocery team, one of our busiest and most successful desks. Luca has extensive retail experience, in both grocery and non-food, working in some of the biggest names in retail including Smyths Toys and Lidl. Under the guidance of our Head of Grocery Nikki Murran, Luca’s passion for the industry, dedication to our client’s and drive to achieve results have made him a great addition to the team.

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Aislinn Lea, Head of Fashion & Non-Food, Excel Recruitment

Excel’s Aislinn Lea- Retail is a career, not just a job

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

As the CAO and college places hit headlines again, head of Fashion & Non- Food Recruitment Aislinn Lea reflects on how retail can be overlooked as a career choice and why this is a mistake…

This past week has been a stressful time for many young people since learning their Leaving Cert results last Wednesday, followed by the anxious wait to see if they received a college place in Monday’s CAO offers. These 17/18/19-year-old will have many huge decisions to make in the next few days about the path they choose. Often in all the talk of opportunities in STEM subjects and the rise and fall of points, many people, regardless of age, overlook retail as an exciting and rewarding career path.

When I began my career in retail, I had no idea it would provide me with the opportunities and experiences that it has, eventually leading me to recruitment, working every day with fantastic clients and candidates, meeting new people and filling new and different roles every week. I couldn’t recommend retail more highly as an industry or a career path.

Progressive Careers

Retail Management is one of the most progressive careers in the market, an industry where the opportunities and careers available are ever-changing and as a result exciting, challenging and rewarding. The doors that are open to an enthusiastic candidate pursuing a career in retail are endless and include Management, Head Office, Buying, HR, Marketing, E-Tailing, Visual Management, the list goes on.

Not only that, but the vastness, variety and pace of the industry can provide anybody willing to work hard and learn with countless opportunities to meet new people, try new things, and see new places. Retail is an extremely fast-paced industry and is constantly innovating and evolving which provides anybody who wants to embrace new ideas and technologies, the opportunity to really make their mark and add real value to their employer, and their CV.

Those who see retail as a career and not just a job can open themselves up to a whole world of learning. There are many engaging, challenging and ever developing facets of the industry, both technically and commercially, so not only are there valuable life-skills to be gained there is also a huge depth of knowledge to be learned and countless career paths to potentially follow.

Inclusive Industry

Retail as an industry has become more savvy in terms of developing talent and employers are willing to invest more and more into their people through training, learning and development. There is a wealth of fantastic degrees, courses and Graduate Programmes available in retail, including any of the specialisms mentioned above.

Retail is a huge industry and is Ireland’s largest private-sector employer, employing over 282,000 workers across the country.An industry of this scale offers a wide range of opportunities and possibilities for all types of individuals and personalities from those with a natural gift for sales and customer engagement to others with a keen interest in data, tech, marketing or visuals

 

Retail News Roundup

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Hotel Chocolat to open first Irish café

British chocolatier chain Hotel Chocolat has announced its plans to open its first ever Irish café. The brand will open an Irish branch in Dundrum Shop will be opening its first ever Irish café this October. According to Retail Times, the new venue will occupy a 102 square metre space in Dublin’s Dundrum shopping centre and will be offering customers a number of new cocoa-based beverages as well as the firm’s full range of exclusive chocolates. Commenting on the announcement, Simon Betty, director of retail for Ireland at the company that owns Dundrum shopping centre, Hammerson, asserted, “Hotel Chocolat is a perfect fit for Dundrum, where it will trade alongside other premium brands…Since taking ownership of Dundrum last year, we have worked to leverage our relationships with domestic and international brands in order to ensure an exciting and fresh retail mix, and this latest debut is a testament to the success of that strategy.”

Arnotts to get further €4m refresh

The Selfridges Group will invest €4m of fresh capital into Arnotts, the iconic Dublin department store. The capital will be used to enhance both the group’s store as well as its online presence and IT capabilities. There has already been significant work done to the store, which will continue over the next 12 to 24 months. The store has redesigned its interior layout, with its famous ‘Shoe Garden’ moving from the ground floor to the first in order to bring women’s footwear and clothing together. The store’s accessories and beauty halls will be refurbished and popular fashion brand Michael Kors will be added to the store’s offering. The store is working on an overhaul of its website, Arnotts.com, which will soon be relaunched following a substantial investment as well as a redesign.

Release date announced for Heidi Klum’s fashion line with Lidl

Supermodel Heidi Klum’s much-anticipated clothing line with supermarket Lidl has been given a release date. The line will be officially launched at New York Fashion Week on September 7th and will be available in 10,000 stores worldwide from September 21st. The collection will feature clothing, along with shoes and accessories. Prices said to be starting from €5.99 with Klum saying she wanted to “create fashion with a wow effect that is easy to combine and makes every woman look fantastic – and all at an unbeatable price.” The new collection is titled “Esmara by Heidi Klum: Heidi and the City” and both Klum and Lidl have shared teasers of the collection ahead of its fashion week launch.

Tackling the Chef Crisis Series: Eileen Langan Rizvi

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

In our new blog series, our expert Hospitality Recruitment Consultants give their views on the Chef crisis and what they think needs to be done to solve the issue. First up, Eileen Langan Rizvi explains the need to promote hospitality as a great industry to work in….

The Chef crisis is not new, but have you seen the problem change and/or get worse in recent years?

Yes, the problem is definitely getting worse. Over the past number of years, I’ve seen commis chefs jump ahead of their qualifications to Chef de Partie/ Sous Chef in an effort by many businesses to fill gaps in their staffing. A lot of Irish chefs left the hospitality industry during the Celtic Tiger. With the economic crash, I had hoped Irish chefs would return to the industry but that hasn’t happened. Many have found a better work/life balance and no longer want to work in an industry where it is the norm to work excessive hours and every weekend for low pay. Current chefs working in restaurants, bars and hotels are seeing the lifestyle enjoyed by friends and family outside of the industry and are being inspired to move away from a career in hospitality. Others are aware of the shortage and wondering why this isn’t being reflected in their salaries.

What, in your opinion, is the main cause of chef shortage?

In my opinion, the lack of work/life balance is causing chefs to leave the industry and deterring young people from pursuing a career as a chef. The hours chefs are required to work are excessive and particularly demoralising for chefs on salary when they do the maths and realise what they are being paid per hour. Split shifts were abolished a number of years ago and this was a step in the right direction, but now chefs are working straight shifts 12+hrs instead of splits. Chefs are realising the importance of a work/life balance and are less willing to give up spending time with family to spend EVERY weekend and Bank Holiday working.

Another issue is the lack of a training Cert Course. When this was available, it provided a way into the industry for many young people and provided kitchens with eager to learn commis chefs.

Is the problem industry-wide or worse depending on location?

Through talking to my clients every day, I’m definitely seeing the problem is worse in rural areas, outside large towns and cities with bigger populations

What in your opinion is the solution to the problem?

Training Programs like Cert or proper apprentice programmes need to be introduced and promoted. These will promote hospitality as a career choice and provide a way into the industry for young people who have an interest in pursuing a career as a chef. They will also provide businesses with the opportunity to take young talent under their wing and train young chefs to become a vital part of their business.

I also think working hours need to be looked at by both employers and the wider industry. There needs to be a conscious effort to make a career as a chef more attractive by allowing chefs to have a better lifestyle.

Where should this solution come from?

The Government need to introduce a recognised apprentice program and encourage employers to take on young people as apprentices or on work placements. Providing training for young people at the start of their careers will encourage them to pursue a career as a chef by seeing all the benefits and opportunities that come with working in a kitchen.

Do you think that there is a lack of incentives to work in the industry? What can be done to attract people to careers in the industry?

Again, there needs to be a conscious effort made to achieve a better work/life balance. The very real image of chefs working 12+ hour shift and every weekend and Bank Holiday is making the industry an unattractive place to work and turning people off pursuing a career as a chef.

Manual Handling

Why Manual Handling is a Must

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Manual Handling is a key part of any workplace but particularly within retail where heavy lifting and lugging can be an everyday occurrence. If not trained and applied properly, poor manual handling can result in serious injuries for employees and massive costs for employers.

Not only is it best practice but manual handling is a legal obligation. Employers must ensure all their staff (regardless of role) have received manual handling training along with refresher course every three years or if there is a major change in the working environment.

According to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) over one-third of accidents that take place in Irish workplaces are as a result of incorrect manual handling procedures. The large majority of these accidents result in back injuries, followed by hands, arms and feet. Many of these injuries can be chronic or long-term resulting in further suffering for employees and increased financial strain on employers. Correct Manual Handling training and procedures can go a long way to reducing or avoiding these accidents.

Employees

Manual Handling instils good habits in employees, ensuring they know the principles of safe lifting and the proper technique to use when lifting a wide variety of loads. It equips participants with the skills and know-how to assess whether a load is safe to carry. Correct manual handling training also educates participants about the spine and how easily back injuries can happen which is helpful not only in their working lives but also for their personal well-being.

Employers

There has been significant media coverage in recent years about Ireland’s supposed compensation culture and the rising insurance costs for businesses as a result. Businesses need to be wary

Insurance costs for retailers have been steadily increasing in recent years. Along with upcoming minimum wage increases and spiralling commercial rates, businesses can’t afford the extra financial burden of rising insurance, particularly when they can be avoided easily by employing proper Manual Handling training and procedures.

It is important that employers ensure all employees training is up to date and recorded. For employers to have fulfilled their legal requirement, employees must have completed training and be able to demonstrate a complete understating of safe lifting principles.

Excel Recruitment operate Futureproof training which offers certified Manual Handling training. To learn more about individual or group training email info@futureprooftraining.ie or call (01)8717 676