Wednesday 15th January
Stating the obvious but that is us two weeks into January. New Year is nod a rapidly distant memory and not shaken anybody’s hand for some time or wishes them all the best for 2014.
Credit Control
“Hi Mark
Hope you are well and all the best for 2014. Can you pleas3e check in invoices 3847 and 4578 show up as paid on your system please”
I have now dropped the all the best for 2014. Mid-life diplomacy skills.
Out and About
Remarkably , it has been quite a busy start to the year on relief.
New man Jason Keenan who stays over in Kirkcudbright is up working away over on Auchrannie with Chefs In Scotland stalwart Paddy Farren. Jason came over to meet at our offices with his wife Coleen last week and this is his second job via us after a very good opening stint at The Links in Montrose alongside Lillian Clarkson.
Gordon Smillie is also working at the Links Hotel after another good spell at Palm Court in Aberdeen alongside the famous Sebastian Schoeder (spelling) if anybody notices this is wrong please let me know. Cheers Gordon and be happy to catch up.
Jason Paxton is back at the Waterside in Peterhead working away and seems to get on very well whenever he goes out on relief and is often asked back which is always a good sign.
Ian Telford is back up on Shetland after Christmas and New Year at home with the family. Quite a few good chefs out via us on Shetland at the moment.
Michael Njoroge and Roger Brown at the Queens and Denzil Gillies heading up to Shetland hotel in a few days time for another stint.
Many thanks guys, I have not been to Shetland although our new man in the office Mark Wildman was up there at Sumburgh Hotel a few years back.
Johanna Watson, almost into her 4th year at Chefs In Scotland, is looking after relief jobs and commis chef jobs. jojo@chefsinscotland.co.uk
Mark Wildman the Operations Manager is looking after sous chef and chef de partie jobs.
I am looking after head chef recruitment Michael@chefsinscotland.co.uk
So a busy start to the year and day three we are all working away and there has been no violence of yet and very few sweary words directed about.
So, looks like being a busy year for us and we are keen to meet more head chefs and relief chefs down here in Moffat if anybody is able to come down, be happy to see your Cvs, take up work references and then invite you to meet us.
OK, I am going to post this up and move on as plenty of work to do.
Many thanks for your continued patience and support
Michael in Moffat
Wednesday 4th December 2013
The sun shines brightly over Moffat on a particularly cold winter day.
I have been interviewing and testing this week for the new position of Operations Manager at our offices and have made an offer today. Hopefully in January, some new and very relevant blood will be added to our offices.
Scott Hilton, worked on a graduate trainee scheme and spent over seven months working here and did very well. Scott has headed down to Manchester now and I wish him well in the future. We would gladly have him back to work in our offices.
Chef Work 2014
As usual, we will be recruiting for Executive chef, head chef, sous chef, the elusive chef de parties, commis chefs, and pastry chef position in 2014. I expect the demand for chefs to be particularly high in 2014 due to a variety of factors:
The demand for chefs this year has been high as tourism continues to play a strong part in the overall economy.
2014 will see Glasgow hold the Commonwealth games and also in September, Gleneagles plays host to the Ryder Cup.
It remains to be seen how high the demand for chefs will be and for how long it will last, but I am expecting the rates for relief chefs to increase from April next year at the latest through to October.
Out and About
As of Saturday when we do the weekly management statistics, we still had over twenty chefs that we were charging for working throughout Scotland.
Michael Njoroge is finishing up before Christmas at The Queens Hotel in Shetland to spend time at home with his family in Perth. All the best for 2014 Michael.
“Moja, Mbili, Tatu, Ne, Tano”
“hasabu ni tena”
Up in Nairn, we managed to place Ritchard (correct spelling) MacPherson at the Classroom in Nairn, courtesy of some information via facebook. Ritchard is married with plenty of children to feed.
Meanwhile, up in the Scottish Highlands Will Furlong is holding the fort at Kincraig House Hotel, now aided by Peter Norrie.
Banchory way, Chris Brant is working over at Tor Na Coille, helping the new head chef settle in.
Gordon Smillie is back this year working in Aberdeen at Palm Court on relief over the winter period.
In Edinburgh Billy Alexander has now over a month under his belt as relief sous chef at The Edinburgh Apex Hotel.
Down in the Scottish Borders, Tom Devlin is working alongside well known Scottish chef Brian Crawford, at The Cross Keys in Kelso.
Rene La Barre is up in Torridon in the very north west, working away at The Three Rosette Torridon Hotel.
Roger Brown is up on Shetland with Michael Njoroge. All the best Roger.
Jason Keenan, during his first outing with Chefs In Scotland continues to work away at The Links Hotel in Montrose and hopefully he will get a pint with David Ironside at some point over the festive period, perhaps in Kirkcudbright at The Masonic.
Lillian Clarkson has finished another two month stint at The Links and will be awaiting a call.
I expect the phones to get busy in the next week as plenty of relief jobs come in.
OK, I think that will do for now.
I will get this up and head up to the gym for thirty minutes to work off any excess eating on my part.
Many thanks for continued support and patience
Michael in Moffat
apologies, there having been little news posted on the website of late, it has all gone onto facebook.
We are still kept busy here at work with some relief work coming in in dribs and drabs, interviewing chefs and still for the operations manager to work here next year at our offices in Moffat.
Still time for some tapas and wine in nerja in Spain also.
Hopefully, we will have the apartment ready to rent out over in Crocketford by Christmas.
Available for short term of 4 days over Christmas for £250 or £400 for the week.
anybody interested please email me Michael@chefsinscotland.co.uk
Other than that as we are, I will try to get this posted up on a more regular basis or should we just put the news up on facebook? any thoughts.
right, I am interviewing a gentleman in ten minutes who has travelled up from London, so I will get ready for that.
Michael in Moffat
Lovely 2 bedroom Cottage in Crocketford 9 miles from Dumfries.
Lovely golf courses close by and good shopping.
a great place to stay for a break or a holiday.
Central heating, garden, sleeps 4 (1 double and 1 twin)
Living room with log burner, great for cosy nights.
Available for minimum of 3 nights at £150 or for longer £350 per week.
Christmas Week £500.
Interested email Michael@chefsinscotland.co.uk with your dates
payment will be taken in advance.
The winning entry to our Photograph competition, which we have run on facebook over the last week, is by Richard Massey, the Head Chef at The 3AA Rosette Ullinish Country Lodge on the beautiful island of Skye.
www.theisleofskye.co.uk
Richard is donating the £50 for winning the competition to Skye and Lochalsh Mental Health Association.
The photo was taken in April this year when on a day off, driving round Skye.
“I took the photos just to show how beautiful this island is and hopefully to get them out there so we can get more people to visit. It shows two different seasons with a beautiful blue sky and light snow fall on the mountain”
Good words Richard and well done.
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