This week, we were delighted to welcome a new face to the Adkins & Cheurfi office…
Jake Cockburn joined us this week with prior experience as a Finance Assistant, in his new role as a Trainee Recruitment Consultant he will be supporting the existing team and developing his own contacts and clients alike. We wish Jake great success in his new role and we are excited to see how your desk develops as we loom closer to the new year!
Jake can be reached on jake@adkinscheurfi.co.uk / 0191 5166118 👍
We’re always ken to showcase our talented chefs and celebrate their successes, our chef spotlight this week goes to Craig who has worked for Adkins & Cheurfi over the last year in a vast range of venues.
❓ What inspired you to become a chef?
Growing up in a large farming family cooking was the heart to many days, I have fond memories learning to cook with my grandmother and great aunties starting back when I was 5/6 each weekend as a boy, which inspired me to cook more and more and I had fond memories of game shooting with my dad and grandad each weekend on are local estate and over are farm, game was a staple thing we had daily from venison to pheasant- rabbit wood cock – duck…Sunday lunch followed family round the kitchen label 13 of us each Sunday followed by a late afternoon tea with homemade scones jam – quiche – cakes – apple pie from the apples in the garden. The memories that pushed me forward to make a career in food.
❓ If you had to describe your cooking style, what would it be?
My cooking style has changed over the years starting of as a boy I was brought up on old Scottish classics comfort food at its best. Once leaving school I went on to college to do city and guilds hospitality award, then moving of in to a professional kitchen back the early 90s the style French classic were still alive and thriving. Two of my mentors John Beal and Ray Johnson, Terry Laybourne both drummed in to me the classical ways, but like everything things move on. Once I left the northeast to find others paths in my career I found myself in London for 3 years and then on the France before returning to the Scottish borders & Northumberland. After working in many high end hotels and restaurants I never found my own style until I hit my 30s taking over a Caley Palace in Castle Douglas I found my passion for local- vibrant fresh produce showing of what the countryside has to offer…whilst working in Claridges a Mr Williams told me a bit of advice keep things simple allow the ingredients to do the work and cook the food you enjoy to eat.
❓ Share with us one our your career milestones
25 years in the industry I’ve seen a lot and heard a lot, working with some great names and some great places with some fantastic talent…I’d say I have 2 pinnacles heading up Alnwick Castle and Close House for 8 years opened doors to me I thought would never happen. Cooking for Percy family and international royals topped the cart for me from the British/Spanish Royal family to the late Queen.
❓ Why did you decide to join Adkins & Cheurfi?
I decided to join Adkins and Cheurfi as a new venture and in my career to keep day to day life interesting, back late last year I set up my own Ltd company which specialises in providing great dinning experience- working for Dean and Melika through the agency opened more doors and allowed me to be more flexible with work and home life.
❓ If you could choose 3 people to invite to a dinner party that you could cook for, who would they be?
If I had to choose 3 guests for dinner it would have to be my best mate James as we’ve friends since infant school party’s, nights out and BBQ’s aren’t the same without his humour. My 2nd choice is my grandad who’s advice and support has put me were I am today. 3rd last but not least my wife as she’s my biggest critic 🤣
We are looking to recruit a talented Chef de Partie for one of our longstanding clients in Stockton-on-Tees. This role will involve a varied programme of weddings and events, a vibrant restaurant & a busy café.
The venue:
Privately owned estate, family run business. Award winning 4* hotel and weddings venue, spa and restaurant.
Responsibilities:
Preparing, cooking and presenting high quality dishes within the speciality section
Assisting the Head Chef and Sous Chef in creating menu items, recipes and developing dishes
Preparing meat and fish
Assisting with the management of health and safety
Assisting with the management of food hygiene practices
Managing and training any Commis Chefs
Monitoring portion and waste control
Overseeing the maintenance of kitchen and food safety standards
Requirements/Skills:
Experience in working in a busy hotel or restaurant would be advantageous
Experience in preparing food to a high standard
Food Hygiene Certificate
Experience in working at weddings or a red star hotel would be desirable but not essential
Benefits:
Day-time hours
Wednesday – Sunday, with every Monday & Tuesday off.
Weekly hourly pay
Uniform provided after probation period
Job Type: Permanent
Salary: £26,000.00-£28,000.00 per year
In the vibrant world of hospitality, where guest experiences reign supreme, an often overlooked aspect can be the cultivation of a robust employer brand. Beyond luxurious accommodations and delectable cuisine, hospitality businesses must also curate an environment that attracts and retains top talent. This is where the magic of employer branding comes into play.
Employer branding in the hospitality industry goes beyond showcasing amenities; it’s about creating a captivating narrative that entices individuals to become a part of your team. It’s the promise of a workplace where creativity thrives, skills are nurtured, and careers flourish.
Crafting an effective hospitality employer brand involves highlighting the unique culture that shapes your business. From the smiles exchanged between staff members to the shared passion for delivering impeccable service, these nuances form the heart of your identity as an employer.
Embrace the power of visual storytelling. Let the world see the vibrant camaraderie among your team, the moments of triumph, and the growth journeys of your employees. Share authentic testimonials that provide insight into the day-to-day experiences that make your workplace exceptional.
Investing in your employer brand elevates your business in the eyes of potential candidates. It conveys that you are not just offering a job but an opportunity to be part of an extraordinary journey. In a sector where hospitality is paramount, an appealing employer brand is the secret ingredient that turns ordinary roles into remarkable careers.
We have compiled the below top tips to aid your employer branding;
We’re delighted to be attending and exhibiting at the North East Expo at Kingston Park Stadium this Spring!
After many years of our consultants attending this busy event as delegates, this year we will be exhibiting our Hospitality & Commercial recruitment services.
Save the date- Thursday 27th April 2023 – https://northeastexpo.co.uk/
We look forward to seeing you all there!
Today, we celebrate the importance of apprenticeships in shaping the future of work and providing opportunities for individuals to gain valuable skills and experience.
At Adkins & Cheurfi Recruitment, we value the contributions of our apprentices and the impact they have on our team. They bring fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and a strong work ethic that enriches our workplace and supports our mission.
We want to take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to all of our apprentices for their hard work and dedication, and for choosing to embark on this rewarding career path. We are proud to be a part of their journey and to provide them with the tools and support they need to succeed.
Let’s continue to support and promote apprenticeships as a valuable option for career development. #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #ApprenticeshipMatters #InvestInYourFuture
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White snowy mountains, clear blue skis, beautifully quaint towns and villages all buzzing with bars, restaurants and tourists ready to hit the slopes for action pack ski holiday.
Maybe it’s the scenery you crave, maybe you want to meet new people or maybe you want to hit the slopes and learn how to ski/snowboard. Whatever your reasons for wanting to work a season trust me once you do it you will not regret it!
As a Chalet chef you will be expected to cater for anything between 8-30 guests. Most chalets will require you to work alone cooking breakfast, afternoon snacks and an evening meal which is usually a minimum of 3-4 courses. You will need to be confident and experienced in managing a kitchen. Be a minimum of sous chef level and possess a good knowledge of different cuisines in order to cater to the guests.
When applying for chalet roles most companies will request a full CV along with references and a portfolio of work.
Do not be discouraged if you are not at Sous/Head chef level as there are hotels and guests houses which will take less experienced chefs to work under their head chef.
To get a quick insight into a day in the life of a chalet chef I did a Q&A with Dane an experienced chef who started his career in hotels and now works the seasons as a private chalet chef in the French Alps.
Q. Dane you started doing ski seasons back in 2015 what is it about the ski season that makes you choose to go back every season over working in the UK?
A. Having worked in hotels in the UK and Chalets in France I would pick the ski work every time.For me having 6 hours off in free time every afternoon to ski is the dream!
Q. We all know chefs work long hours and split shifts, what does your typical day look like and do you get any time off to go up the mountain or have a social life?
A. A normal day for myself is 7-11 and then 5-9, giving myself most of the day to ski or relax. TIP: make dessert during breakfast!
Q. I take back what I said about the hours, yours are fantastic. What is it about working a ski season that you love so much?
A. I love all of it. For me it’s not only a job but a lifestyle. It’s not all fun and games. Some weeks are harder and longer hours than others. It usually depends on the guests, some weeks are the best time ever and others are not so much
A. Are there any downside to working a ski season (apart from having to go home at the end)?
Q. It is hard work. Some guests can be demanding. You need to be very versatile in the kitchen and be able to manage your time.
Q. Last question what advice would you give to any chefs thinking about doing a season?
A. There are 3 things to do in the mountains Work Ski and Party. You cannot do all 3 and last a season. Pick 2 knowing work must be one of them. Stop thinking about it and just go for it. It’s a game changer, you will never look back!
Competition closes Monday 6th August @ 1pm , the winners will be announced on our facebook page @5pm Monday 6th August.
Pictures will be posted to our facebook page and website by entering the competition you consent to the publication of your photo.
We are proud to announce that we have been shortlisted for the North East Business Awards in the Best Newcomer Category and will find out on 8th March if we make the final . We look forward to rubbing shoulders with some of the regions most innovative and forward thinking companies. Hopefully our unique, modern approach to recruitment will be rated up there with some of the best new business ideas out there.
It goes without saying that in recruitment you are only as good as the staff on your books. Thank you to all our super skilled chefs, tireless front of house guys and ultra reliable catering assistants for helping us to build Adkins and Cheurfi into a formidable brand. Thank you also to our fabulous clients. As you know we currently support many high end, luxury properties from the Scottish borders down to North Yorkshire.
Now. we are not saying rush out and buy a tuxedo just yet…but you never know. Wish us luck at the North East Business Awards 2018 regional heats and fingers crossed we get to the attend the grand final.
Dean, Melika and Christine