Jobs on a platter: A range of employers rush to hire chefs, stewards, support staff
Apart from a boom in standalone restaurants, there's a surge in marriages, parties, ceremonies, outdoor catering and corporate events as well as a proliferation of cloud kitchens. All that has led to a spike in demand for restaurant and catering chefs, said industry executives and restaurateurs.
Empower Your Corporate Journey with Strategic Skill Courses
Offering CollegeCourseWebsiteIndian School of BusinessISB Leadership in AIVisitIndian School of BusinessISB Venture Capital and Private Equity ProgramVisitNorthwestern UniversityKellogg Marketing Leadership Development ProgramVisitTo support all those chefs, also needed are sous chefs, chefs de partie, pastry chefs, cooks and various other kitchen support staff.
An estimated 400,000 jobs were created in the food production and kitchen industry in 2023, said Pradeep Chavda, HR director at the India unit of Paris-headquartered food services and facility management company Sodexo. This is an increase of about 20-25% from 2022.
«A chef is the most prized community for any organisation in the food industry right now,» said Anjan Chatterjee, chairman and managing director, Speciality Restaurants, which owns restaurant brands including Mainland China and Oh! Calcutta, and is opening more outlets in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru.
«The demand is huge as good chefs are in short supply.»
Since the pandemic, urban India has taken to eating out with renewed enthusiasm.
«There is a revolution of standalone restaurants post-Covid,» said Chatterjee. «Every 'nukkad' has a restaurant and all of them are upgrading. There is also a burgeoning demand from fine-dine eateries, five-star hotels to budget hotels.»
Naturally, finding talent is not easy.
«It is difficult to get hold
