Government Declines to Reveal if a Minister for Hospitality is Really on the Cards Following Key Debate in Parliament

After securing over 200,000 signatures asking for a dedicated Minister for Hospitality the debate took place in Westminster Hall on Monday 11th January 2021.

In a two-hour session MP Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North), who led the debate, summed up the case for the hospitality industry by saying:

“The Government should want to get this right and should want the maximum possible engagement with the hospitality industry. A seat at the table and a strong voice for the hospitality industry would be in the Government’s interest.”

However, Paul Scully, the government Minister with responsibility for food and beverage at The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said:

“It’s not within my gift to create a new ministerial post, that power rests with the prime minister, but I can assure you that the two of us are doing all we can within government to understand and represent the interests of the sector.”

Both sides of the debate were keenly put but, in the end, the government position remains one of “we’ve listened”. The government believe they have the sector covered across two different. ministries: food and beverage is handled by Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Hotels & Tourism handled by Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.

As a result of the debate some awareness of the public support for a hospitality ministry has been raised with government. It remains to be seen whether this will be actually translated into meaningful action. The government will do nothing more until it actively has to do so.

The industry reacted positively to the debate, however. Claire Bosi, editor of Hospitality & Catering News, who brought the original petition, said:

“I am very happy with the response form the debate on Monday. Scully said that he’d learnt a great deal about the industry in the last eight months, but it takes far longer than that to learn about an industry with 3 million employees and contributed masses of taxes to the treasury.  We need somebody heavily-invested in the industry to represent our industry professionals and bridge the gap between the government and industry.

“The pressure on the Prime Minister will continue and we will provide him with every piece of evidence to show why it is in his best interest to have somebody to advise, if anything like this ever happens again.”

Minister at BEIS Paul Scully said during the debate:

“I congratulate the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North (Catherine McKinnell) on securing the debate and representing the petitioners so well. They are understandably crying out for help to get across the line, after such a difficult period. Hospitality has undoubtedly been one of the hardest pressed, if not the hardest pressed, sectors over the pandemic. I thank everybody who has contributed to the debate for the way in which they have put the case for their constituents.

However, as was predicted on The Chefs’ Forum last week, the government Minister with responsibility for food and beverage at The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Paul Scully, told the debate that the industry was already covered by multiple departments. He said:

“I congratulate the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North (Catherine McKinnell) on securing the debate and representing the petitioners so well. They are understandably crying out for help to get across the line, after such a difficult period. Hospitality has undoubtedly been one of the hardest pressed, if not the hardest pressed, sectors over the pandemic. I thank everybody who has contributed to the debate for the way in which they have put the case for their constituents.

Since taking on responsibility for food and beverage hospitality businesses in March last year and establishing a dedicated sponsorship team within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, we have worked extremely closely with representatives from across the sector, so there has always been development. I will come back to the question of a dedicated Minister in a second, but essentially, this was split across a number of Departments and we now have a dedicated hospitality team that is working really hard.

I also put on record my gratitude to the sector itself for how its representatives have engaged with me and my officials throughout the pandemic. It is important to recognise that the hospitality sector is not just pubs and restaurants: cafés, the wedding sector, nightclubs and all the associated businesses that we have heard so much about today, including specialist suppliers, are also going through this. I thank them in particular for how they engaged with the safer workplace guidance to allow essential businesses to stay open, but also to allow these businesses to reopen at various points. Understandably, as we have discussed, the fact of the matter is that there has been opening and closing depending on the tier system, and that has been a source of frustration for everybody, especially—as my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest East (Dr Lewis) says—those that have had to pour away beer and throw away food at various points during this period.

We continue to work together with the sector across Government to make sure that we can strike the right balance between the covid-19 restrictions and the corresponding business support measures. As we have heard, we responded with an unprecedented package of support worth a staggering £280 billion, which included the grants, the furlough scheme, the various loan schemes, the business rates holiday, VAT deferrals, and of course the eat out to help out scheme. On top of that, we released additional funding worth £4.6 billion to help businesses through the current lockdown, which we estimate will help 600,000 hospitality businesses. We have also taken action to protect businesses by placing restrictions on landlords using commercial rents arrears recovery to enforce unpaid rents on commercial leases. Importantly, we have kept all the support measures under review to ensure that as far as possible, they have kept pace with the changing covid-19 situation and the need to flex restrictions accordingly.

Like those who have taken the time to sign a petition, and those right hon. and hon. Members who have taken part in today’s debate, I recognise the importance of the hospitality sector, not just to local areas but to whole communities and to the country as a whole. We have heard that the sector employs around 3.5 million people overall, and in normal circumstances generates revenues of around £63 billion a year. It is strategically important to the UK, as well, traditionally being the first sector to recover following an economic downturn and acting as a catalyst for wider economic recovery and regeneration.

Most importantly, the sector lies at the heart of communities, providing jobs and places to enjoy companionship and supporting mental health and wellbeing, social cohesion and cultural integration. It is important that when we talk about culture—about meeting people—we remember that that is what hospitality is there to do, and it is really sad that the restrictions and lockdown itself are there to stop people meeting people. As we have heard, though, that is not to say that hospitality in itself is the vector for transmission. It is really important that we do not scapegoat the hospitality sector, which has done so much—it has spent a lot of money and put in a lot of effort—to make its venues covid-secure.

Turning to the question of establishing a Minister for hospitality, responsibility is currently split between BEIS and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: BEIS is responsible for the food and beverage industries, and DCMS is responsible for accommodation, primarily hotels, as part of its tourism remit. There is clearly some overlap between these important industries, and I work closely with the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage at DCMS, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Nigel Huddleston), to ensure that the interests of this sector as a whole are fully represented across Government.

The close collaboration that we have means that the policy levers in both DCMS and BEIS can be employed effectively to the benefit of the sector. Clearly, it is not within my gift to create a new ministerial post—that power rests solely with the Prime Minister—but I can assure hon. Members that the two of us are doing all we can within Government to understand and represent the interests of the sector. Whether or not we have a dedicated Minister for hospitality, we need to ensure that the sector is in the best possible place to bounce back from covid-19, so that it can play a leading role in the UK’s economic and social recovery.

We know that the hospitality sector has often shown great resilience and innovation in adapting; such adaptation is not a new phenomenon. We saw that hospitality was one of the first sectors to recover after the 2007 financial crisis, which helped drive the UK’s recovery more generally. In order to achieve the same level of recovery that we saw following that crisis, we are committed to maintaining support to the sector until the vaccines are rolled out and businesses can open without restrictions. However, we also need to think about and plan for the longer-term recovery.

The UK has a world-leading net zero target. I want to see the creativity that helps define the hospitality sector put to good use in helping to tackle climate change, by developing and utilising new technologies and processes to minimise emissions and, importantly, waste. Although this is a challenging time for the sector, it is essential that, as we bounce back, we work with hospitality businesses to build back their industry so that it is stronger and greener.

Caroline Lucas

I thank the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas), who was unable to attend the debate today but sent me a statement from hospitality businesses in her constituency, supporting the creation of the ministerial position and emphasising the important role that the sector will need to play in our economic recovery and growth. I hope that I have addressed both those points.

We have had a very interesting debate, starting with the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon). One of the regular calls that I have with the industry includes Colin Neill from Hospitality Ulster. We also heard from the hon. Member for North Antrim (Ian Paisley), who talked about Van Morrison. Actually, a Van Morrison gig was one of the last gigs that I went to at the O2, to raise money for the Royal Marsden Hospital. The O2 itself is now one of the nightingale hospitals, and one of the people who set it up was the chief nurse at the Marsden—everything comes around in a circular fashion, which shows the unusual times we are in.

With regard to the coffee culture that my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Steve Brine) talked about, we should not forget that takeaway coffees also play a part for shift workers, who need such extra support, so not everything that is seen as non- essential is non-essential to certain people.

Kate Nicholls

There is no way we can have a one-size-fits-all policy. Certainly what I have learnt about the hospitality sector over the past nine or 10 months is that a lot of work is being done behind the scenes, whether with me or with my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport, or through lobbying by Colin Neill, Kate Nicholls or Emma McClarkin, or through lobbying from the chief executives of the larger pub businesses, the independent pubs, the restaurant groups and all those sorts of businesses. That means we can address issues such as the 10 pm curfew, which was a blunt instrument, as has been outlined. It clearly stopped restaurants having second sittings, but it also stopped pubs selling a lot of alcohol at that time—a lot of their profit is created at that time but it was also pushing people together. I am also the Minister for London and I saw at that time a 40% increase in the use of the tube between 10 pm and 10.15 pm. The curfew was clearly pushing people together, doing the opposite of what we wanted. It was therefore right to make the case against it and have it reversed.

From my business role through to my work with the hospitality sector, and in my work as Minister for London, I can see that any town centre, any city area or any retail area is an ecosystem. People do not go to a hotel, such as those within a mile or two of where we are now, just to sleep in another bed; they go because they want to spend time in the pubs, restaurants, theatres, museums, galleries and all the things that a city such as London has to offer. It is the same with Newcastle, Manchester or any of our fantastic towns across the country, and clearly it is also the same for rural areas such as Cornwall, which my hon. Friend the Member for Southport (Damien Moore) mentioned when he talked about tourism in his part of the world.

Indeed, that is a really interesting point about tourism in coastal or rural areas in particular, because we are now in the third winter of their three-winter scenario—we had the winter last year; then we had the summer, when they would expect to make a lot of their profits but effectively it was a winter for them; and now, as we can feel here in Westminster Hall today, this is really a third winter. It is important that we continue to work very closely with those areas.

I am more than happy to work with all hon. Members to ensure that we do not just hear the understandable cries of anguish from the hospitality sector, but work out what we can do, given the public finances, to continue to flex, work on the recovery and look at how we can stagger the reopening. In a few weeks’ time, we will get to the point with the vaccine roll-out, hopefully alongside the plateauing of the case load, at which we will have a better idea of the timescale and can start talking about a road map.

Jane Hunt

I know, because we talked about this last summer, that businesses, especially the bigger ones that have greater resources and can do that sort of forward thinking, will already be thinking about how to roll out the reopening of pubs, restaurants, cafés and, importantly, the wedding sector, which my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Jane Hunt) mentioned. I would love to get to that point, whether through pilots or just through working with the wedding sector, which is understandably filling my timeline on Twitter and social media—I can see exactly why it is doing that. After that, we can deal with the nightclub sector—we heard about Sacha Lord, who does a remarkable job in raising these issues with me and colleagues—which is a really tough one to crack. Hopefully we can get to the point where it can open.

I could go on forever, but I want to leave some time for the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North. Hospitality brings people together. We have heard a lot of calls for the evidence for why various measures were put in place. If hon. Members look at the infographics and the rules and guidance for this particular part of the lockdown, they will see that there are three words at the top of pretty much every page: “Stay at home.” Unfortunately, that is what everything is about. It is not about meeting. This will be a really tough few months, because it is miserable outside. With regard to exercise and so on, it is not going to be good. We need to offer hope to those businesses and get them across the finishing line so that we have a better summer and ensure that we do not have a fourth winter.

The hospitality sector represents friendship, generosity, enjoyment and happiness. It is a tonic for loneliness and a warm welcome for visitors at the heart of our communities. In short, hospitality matters. We will continue to work with hospitality businesses to get them through the immediate crisis and then help them to build back stronger and greener.

A Call For Chefs To Demand Government Support for The Supply Chain

Dean Silver, a Director of London-based catering butcher, Fenns of Piccadilly, has set up a LinkedIn Group called “Support The Supply Chain” which aims to draw government attention to what is happening in the businesses that supply restaurants and keep them afloat.

Dean is doing a fantastic job of garnering a fantastic level of  support from his peers in the sector in highlighting the hidden struggles being felt in the supply chain.

He told The Chefs’ Forum: “My main aim is to get all of us heard.  The end goal is for this government to realise that this sector is massive.  Hospitality and our businesses have been turned on and off like a tap throughout this pandemic and I plan to try and find out why we’ve been forgotten.

“Small businesses have received grants, as have large businesses, but it’s the factories and warehouses that have been left out.  There is no help for suppliers…but without us, there cannot be an end product.

 “In a few months’ time, I fear that if the help is still not there, some of us won’t be there when the hospitality industry and ‘normal trade’ returns. There is a huge shortage of butchers as it is a sector lacking in icons, unlike the cheffing profession.”

“It is not glamorised or promoted in any way and there aren’t many young people coming into the industry – We need to change this and plan to work with the network of UK FE Colleges to showcase butchery and other professions within the supply chain.”

“It is vital that we hold on to the talent we have, and now we have left the EU, this is an even bigger worry. The work we’re doing now to highlight the plight of the supply chain will ensure that there are jobs in the sector for the next generation.”

One of the first industry icons to support Dean’s initiative was Lucianne Allen of National Catering Butcher of the Year, Aubrey Allen, she commented:

“I can only imagine that some suppliers will really struggle to survive. In our industry abattoirs are already asking for pro forma payments which if suppliers haven’t been paid and then need to restock is going to lead to a very turbulent time for everyone and a situation of shortages. As ever we would urge chefs to speak as soon as possible to suppliers and work with them on reopening to help use any surplus stock first.“

L-R – Jamie Walsh, John Pritchard and George Pritchard visiting their livestock

John Pritchard, Director of Dart Fresh in Exeter supplies meat, fish, game and veg to chefs all over the south west, he concluded

“We are actively encouraging our online retail customers to buy from us over supermarkets to support local producers and their families. In terms of wholesale, we continue to supply schools hospitals, care homes and takeaways with the finest fresh local produce and will be there for our chefs and restaurants once hospitality returns.  It is vital that the supply chain gets the support it needs to carry them through this difficult time.”

Follow and comment on #supportthesupplychain here

Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge 2021 Welcomes a New Format for the Spin-Off Event

Chefs Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala are excited to welcome the return of their celebrated competition, Zest Quest Asia in 2021. Headline sponsored by Tilda Foodservice, Zest Quest Asia is back with a spin-off to the annual event which has inspired young chefs to discover the exciting world of Asian cuisine for the past seven years.

Launching today (7^th January) the Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge 2021 is a new and exciting individual chef competition which sees the contest go virtual for the first time, in response to Covid-19, with a live streamed final.

With the winner receiving an exclusive Todiwala Masterclass, trophy, chef knives and jacket, as well as Tilda goodies, college lecturers and their students simply need to post their Asian inspired dish using Tilda rice on Facebook or Instagram before the 17^th February 2021.

Six finalists will be chosen to compete at the Covid-Safe Final taking place on the 31^st March from their college kitchen.

Annette Coggins, Head of Foodservice, Tilda UK said of the upcoming event:

“Zest Quest has always been a big event for students in the competition calendar and with the ongoing challenges of Covid, we were determined for the competition to go ahead. In such difficult times we are even more excited to continue partnering with Cyrus, Pervin and Murray Chapman for the Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge.  It’s always been important to Tilda Foodservice to inspire the next generation of chefs, and support Zest Quest Asia with promoting what is an incredibly exciting cuisine for students to get to grips with – we can’t wait to see what these young chefs create!”

Entrants are asked to take inspiration from today’s hottest food trends from plant-based to one pot recipes and create recipes that are authentic, flavourful and celebrate the best of regional Asian cuisine. All the details on the competition and the criteria are available at www.zestquestasia.org.

Tilda Foodservice and the Todiwala’s are passionate about creating a competition that chefs and colleges will look forward to and get excited about in 2021. Zest Quest Asia was launched to inspire student chefs across the UK to consider Asian cookery as a future career by recognising outstanding talent, knowledge and understanding of the cuisine. The success of the competition encourages colleges to include classical Asian cookery in the curriculum, as well as build on the skills needed for chefs to venture into the Asian food industry.

For more information and to enter the Zest Quest Asia – Tilda Challenge 2021, colleges should visit www.zestquestasia.org. The deadline for entries is Wednesday 17th February 2021. The shortlist will be revealed at the end of February 2021, with the final Covid-safe cook-off taking place on 31^st March 2021.

For more information on Zest Quest Asia visit www.zestquestasia.org  

For more information on Tilda visit www.tildafoodservice.com 

The Roux Family Announce the Sad Passing of Albert Roux on the 4th January Aged 85

Not just the end of an era: The Chefs’ Forum remembers Albert Roux

At the 2009 Roux Scholarship awards evening, won by Hrishikesh Desai, Albert Roux said an interesting thing that stuck with Chefs’ Forum Editor, Chandos Elletson; He said

“All food should be (Michelin) three-star. Even scrambled eggs should be three-star!”

I didn’t forget that.

The following year I went to visit Albert with 2010 winner Dan Cox at his then home in the countryside. The purpose of the visit was to talk about scrambled eggs. Albert had agreed to show me how to make them.

In the end he gave the job to Dan Cox who was already familiar with the method. But first we went into his garden to meet the chickens who supplied the egss.

“You have to start with a proper egg”, Albert crooned as we admired his chicken coop and vegetable garden.

Back inside the cooking began. proper scrambled eggs, it turned out, should be cooked over a Bain Marie. In went eggs and butter. No seasoning. Dan stirred them slowly until they were homogenous. A process that takes a good fifteen minutes.

“You can’t hurry,” Albert said watching carefully. While this was happening, I asked him where he had learnt to cook scrambled eggs. “In private service,” he said, his eyes still watching the eggs. Dan thought they were ready. Albert told him to keep going a couple of extra minutes. They were finished with a splash of double cream to stop the cooking. Then seasoning. They were, predictably, the best scrambled eggs I had ever tasted. But that’s not the point of the story.

The real point, and the one a lot of people forget about the great Roux Brothers,is that they both worked in private houses. It is so easy to forget that the best cooks in the world before restaurants were common all worked in great houses. Albert was no exception. When he first came to the UK he worked at Cliveden when it was private and went on to become the chef at a house called Fairlawne in Kent which was then owned by royal racehorse trainer Sir Peter Cazelet.

Personally, I believe that’s what marked The Roux Brothers apart. They were not just classically trained in France but they also knew the English repertoire. When they opened Le Gavroche in 1967 they fused the two together into one inimitable style and the rest is history.

But the story, and their legacy, does not end there. The brothers were ambitious and to fulfil their dreams they began to train up a new brigade of chefs – French at first – Pierre Koffmann was an early recruit from France who began his UK chef life at Le Gavroche. But then the attention turned to British chefs most notably Marco Pierre White but there were many before him and after him who were trained by Albert before Michel Jnr took over.

The brothers founded the Roux Scholarship in 1984. The late Andrew Fairlie was the first scholar. It is still going. Without doubt the Roux brothers were the driving force of British gastronomy and without them the revolution of British chefs would have happened much later and much more slowly.

Following on from the scrambled eggs chez Albert the great man asked us to stay for lunch. We sat in his dining room with him at the head of the table. We ate cottage pie and carrots. A squeezy bottle of organic Heinz ketchup was present.

“You have to eat it with ketchup,” Albert pronounced. He was right. It was a joy to be at his table, to watch him eat and to watch his eyes as Dan had cooked that morning. I left feeling that I had seen a glimpse of what made him tick. I believe absolutely in his pronouncement that all food should be three star – even scrambled eggs. It is a lesson for every chef:

Don’t try and attain 3 stars. Simply set out to make everything you cook the highest standard possible. Do that and you won’t go far wrong.

The Roux Brothers will be missed by all of us here at The Chefs’ Forum and the industry in is entirety. It’s ironic that the restaurant business was struggling when they arrived and is so again. But this time with their legacy intact, it will come again and you can bet that the name of ‘Roux’ will certainly be a part of the next chapter.

Our thoughts and best wishes go to the Roux Family at this difficult time.

RIP Albert Roux.

Introducing International Culinary Studio – Headline Sponsor of our Virtual CPD Conference

The Chefs’ Forum is delighted to welcome International Culinary Studio as a partner and sponsor in our inaugural online CPD conference in January. International Culinary Studio is joining forces with The Chefs’ Forum to raise awareness of their highly successful blended learning pedagogical approach in the delivery of qualifications for chefs and hospitality personnel around the world.

As we, in the UK, have had to adjust to blended learning pedagogy and online delivery as a necessity due to the Covid 19 pandemic, International Culinary Studio has been delivering learning and qualifications using blended learning technologies for over five years.

Here are 5 reasons why a partnership with International Culinary Studio could be a great move for your students, teaching staff and institution.

• A pioneer

International Culinary Studio is the leader in delivering online accredited culinary and hospitality training programmes, including City & Guilds Global Hospitality Certification. It has also been approved for the Worldchefs ‘Recognition of Quality Culinary Education Programmes’.

• The first

International Culinary Studio is the first blended learning culinary school to offer students professional qualifications online.  This can be from their kitchens at home, college, university, training provider or workplace.

• Backing and support from experience, skills and knowledge

Award-winning businesswoman and food connoisseur, Cheryl Cordier, launched International Culinary Studio five years ago, identifying the flexibility and potential for teaching and learning in this way. Cheryl tapped into her extensive blend of experience in education and hospitality to fulfil her dream of bringing the classroom to the kitchen, and vice versa.

• An extensive range of courses and programmes.

International Culinary Studio offers courses for beginners through to professional chefs. Many courses are endorsed by City & Guilds’ Global Certification, including the Certificate and Diploma programmes in Professional Cookery. There are also a number of short courses available including, amongst others:

• Front of House
• Café Chef
• Café Baker
• Barista
• The Art of Chocolate Confectionery
• Special Diets.

Younger cooking enthusiasts haven’t been forgotten either with Junior Chef Culinary programmes for young chefs aged between 8 and16 years old.

• Worldchefs Validation

International Culinary Studio is approved for the Worldchefs ‘Recognition of Quality Culinary Education Programme’. This means that International Culinary Studio joins over 100 recognised providers around the world in the quality assured delivery of a high quality culinary education. This demonstrates International Culinary Studio’s dedication to culinary education, students, teaching faculty and local culinary communities.

When discussing the potential of the partnership with The Chefs’ Forum, International Culinary Studio founder and Director of Studies, Cheryl Cordier said “ We are delighted to be working with The Chefs’ Forum to reach out to ambitious partners whose passion to learn and grow is not diminished by these difficult times.  Our unique blend of delivery provides world-class learning through online, workplace, peer to peer and practical learning styles.  We are innovators offering ‘Global Hospitality Certification’ and ‘Digital Badging’ and we can fast-track those already in the industry with RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning), providing a valuable professional development tool”.

As part of the ‘Blended Learning’ session during the CPD conference on the 15^th January, Cheryl will provide an overview and summarised demonstration of the International Culinary Studio learning platform. This versatility of the platform can be tailored to the needs of individual partners providing the opportunity for a ‘white-labelled’ bespoke teaching and learning resource. This is a really exciting proposition to explore the potential of a highly interactive learning solution for future curriculum delivery models.

To take part in the CPD Conference please CLICK HERE.

Who Could be The Minister for Hospitality & What Would it Mean for Hospitality if the Upcoming Debate Next Week is Successful?

As we draw near to the on Monday the 11^th January, The Chefs’ Forum talks to former Conservative MP for Blackpool North and political strategist Harold Elletson to find out the likely outcomes.

One of the problems that the hospitality industry faces is that having a debate on a potential minister is a first step. There is every chance that it won’t lead to anything especially at the moment with so much going on around it: Covid and Brexit being the two most obvious reasons.

However, as we discovered talking to Harold Elletson, the right tactics now could lead to a promising future for hospitality within government and starting to think like a politician is one way the hospitality industry can begin to bolster its case.

“The main point is that there is currently a Minister for Tourism and Leisure but he is very junior,” Elletson explained. “More than likely this will be the government response.

“The current Minister is Nigel Huddleston and, in spite of his lowly rank, his responsibilities include: Sport, Heritage, Tourism, Gambling, Lotteries, Commonwealth Games, Secondary Legislation, Culture and Sports & Arts sector recovery from COVID-19.

“Nigel Huddleston only has the rank of Parliamentary Under-Secretary (PUSS) within the Department for Culture (DCSS).  A PUSS is below a Minister of State, who is below the Secretary of State. So, as it stands, the minister closest to hospitality is, pretty much, the lowest of the low – in government terms.

“In other words, Huddleston already has huge responsibilities but no effective platform from which to promote them within Government. This means, crucially, that he can’t lobby the treasury effectively and won’t get taken seriously.

“What needs to happen is that hospitality should be more openly included in the portfolio, which should be upgraded to Minister of State or cabinet level. In my opinion, and I saw this a lot in my own time in Parliament and since, the debate on the 11th will be batted away by the Government because the Treasury will see a minister as inconvenient for them – ie, someone who’ll keep demanding money from them.

“It’s important to explain that it comes as the result of a public petition and that means that it won’t be either Government business or a private member’s bill. It’s more like an adjournment debate and it’ll probably take place in the committee room off Westminster Hall, rather than in the Commons chamber. It’ll be an opportunity for the industry to present its concerns. The Government will most probably listen and then do nothing.

“But this is just an opening salvo and the hospitality industry should not be discouraged. This is why there needs to be a more effective lobby. The debate will not be a waste of time. It could be the beginning of a new and more effective lobby but the industry will have to realise that they have to put their shoulder to the wheel.

“Hospitality leaders – including chefs – have got to convince the treasury, above all, that the entire sector is a hugely important part of the UK economy and that supporting it will ultimately result in an increase in revenue to the treasury. Hospitality should be thinking of its next move now – and not rely on the debate to get the conversation going.

“What the hospitality industry doesn’t realise is that it has a better opportunity to lobby than any industry I’ve known but it’s worse at it than almost any other sector. There are 17 bars in the Palace of Westminster, dining rooms in both the Lords and Commons, and cafes. There are also numerous restaurants, hotels, cafes and pubs, patronised by MPs and peers, throughout the Westminster area. That’s a hell of a lot of little embassies for the hospitality industry!”

One interesting area for the industry to ponder is who would be the right person for the job? Who would be the best Minister for Hospitality? We have isolated 7 MP’s who could be chosen for the role:

Tracey Crouch – MP for Chatham and Aylesford – MP since 2010 – Minister for Sport, Civil Society and Loneliness in 2017. Her resignation in 2018 due to delays in introduction of reduced limit on stakes of fixed betting terminals makes her an effective voice and one that could make a comeback under Boris Johnson.

Nigel Huddleston – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport, Tourism and Heritage – MP for Mid Worcester. Elected 2015. On the young side but in the job now.

Steve Baker – MP for Wycombe. Former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. A big hitter capable of running a big department. He could be an outside bet if the hospitality lobby picks up speed.

John Whittingdale – Junior Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport since 2020, having previously served at DCMS as Culture Secretary in the Cabinet from 2015 to 2016. MP for Maldon since 1992. An older veteran but someone with experience. The safe pair of hands?

The remaining three names are all on the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Hospitality & Tourism (H&T). These are younger MP’s on the rise but don’t count them out. They have ability and are all in the frame.

Stephen Double – MP for St Austell – MP since 2015 – Chair APPG H&T

Scott Mann – MP for North Cornwall – MP since 2015 Vice Chair APPG H&T

Michael Tomlinson – MP for. North Dorset – 2015 – Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury) (Whip) – Treasurer APPG H&T. As a Government Whip Tomlinson already has some government experience and could be a name discussed when the time comes.

Who do you think most suitable – Let’s all get involved?!

The Chefs’ Forum will be closely-following this story as it unfolds – Now’s the time to have your say!

Show Your Support For A Minister For Hospitality and Seat At The Table!

Chefs and front of house celebrities voice their support for a hospitality minister as chorus for more signatures grows.

The hospitality industry continues to voice its support for a dedicated Government Minister with some big names rallying behind the cause. A debate has been tabled to be addressed in Parliament on the 11th of January.

The priority for those bringing their support is to get an overwhelming list of signatures that cannot be ignored. The Chef’s Forum fully supports this initiative.

Robin Hutson, the game-changing hotelier behind Limewood and The Pig is working tirelessly with his team of talented management trainees and prominent industry voices to engage more industry professionals in the campaign to appoint a Minister for Hospitality.

The petition, originally started by Claire Bosi of Chef Magazine gained around 30,000 signatures.  Robin felt that this really needed a boost given the number of people involved in the industry as a whole.

Robin gathered around 150 industry movers and shakers on a Zoom call, including Tom Kerridge, Angela Hartnett, Paul Heathcote and Harry Murray, to encourage more industry professionals to fight the cause and drive further sign-ups to the petition and ‘Seat at The Table’ was born.

In an interview with The Chefs’ Forum Robin said

“It has been amazing to see a significant uplift in signatures as a result of the group effort to raise the profile of the petition, but we need to keep going. The overriding concept in my eyes was to establish a little more respect for the hospitality industry within the government.  We’ve been pushed and pulled in all directions, based on unquantified science, especially the 10pm curfew, introduced on the hoof, which had a devastating effect on an industry already on its knees –   Nobody really thought about how much damage this would do to operations.”

“I have no idea whether whether we, (Seat At The Table) have been successful in reinforcing the case for the appointment of a government Minister for Hospitality, if nothing else, we’ve collectively helped to raise the profile of the sector.  Even if we lose this battle, there’s still a war to be won.”

Thankfully, the number of people who have signed the petition now stands at over 180,000 (30,000 more since our last article) and we need your help to keep this going.

Click here to sign the petition.

Catherine Farinha of The Chefs’ Forum said:

 “We wholeheartedly support this powerful petition. Not only does the hospitality industry need its own Minister but it also needs a voice in Government that draws attention to the need for more education for hospitality workers – especially chefs. The UK has some of the best restaurants in the world and we need to make them a shining example.”

Chefs’ Forum Educational Consultant, Neil Rippington is working to galvanise catering lecturers and hospitality teaching professionals on a national level, heading-up a range of Continual Professional Development conferences for UK colleges throughout 2021, he said

“The industry is vitally important to the success and standing of the nation on a global stage. We need a voice not only to represent the industry but to protect an aspect of life that we all rely on and perhaps have taken for granted in the past. Support from a minister would demonstrate the seriousness in which the government views the situation and provide a renewed confidence for the industry’s current workforce and those considering a future career in a fantastic and creative sector.

As an educator and chef, I feel it is essential to continue to develop collaboration between education and industry. In my role as Education Consultant for The Chefs’ Forum, alongside the work we are doing to promote continuing professional development during a very difficult time, I would relish the opportunity to have a seat at the table.”

Here’s a round-up of what the chefs have had to say in response to the campaign for a Minister for Hospitality and the status quo of the industry as a whole:

Gary Usher, of Sticky Walnut restaurant, expressed the mood of many in a tweet:

“I think by now you all know how devastatingly ****ed my industry is. Restaurants, pubs & bars are closing every day… for ever. A catastrophe of job losses in hospitality is here… now.

We need a voice in government. “

Fred Sirieix, who has become a champion of good service in hospitality in his various TV shows, and once worked for The Galvin Brothers at their restaurant at The London Hilton, said:

“Right now the hospitality industry is bearing the brunt of the restrictions and it’s virtually on its knees. We need more signatures.”

Cyrus Todiwala of Cafe Spice Namaste, which has been a victim of the two lockdowns commented:

“We need to make the voice bigger, stronger, better and more successful.”

Michelin star chef and Masterchef: The Professionals judge, Marcus Wareing posted a video on twitter to voice his concern and to pledge his support. He said:

“The hospitality industry is n a dismal place right now. 2021 is going to be tough. There is a huge mountain to climb. We need your help. We need a seat at the table. Hospitality touches everyone in many different ways. It is everywhere. In hospitals, care homes, the high street. The people who make your coffee. It’s in the supply chains, the farmer, the grower. I could go on all day long. We need signatures. The more the better. “

Angela Hartnett tweeted:

“We need more than ever a minister for hospitality …. the date for the debate has been agreed…. the more signatures the bigger the influence on our MP ‘s…  ….. this is for all areas of hospitality…… please forward /sign!”

Paul Ainsworth said:

“This brilliant industry has endured heart-rending adversity this year and it’s time to give the people working in it a voice.”

The petition is being championed by Robin Hutson and his team of management trainees to reinforce the petition and appoint a Minister for Hospitality with a personal crusade to fight the corner for hospitality and tourism.

Steve Double is the Conservative Party MP for St Austell & Newquay in Cornwall, a region heavily reliant on the hospitality pound for eight months of the year in normal times.  Steve is a member of the All Party Group (APPG) For Hospitality and Tourism and is wholeheartedly in support of the campaign.  As an MP, Steve would be a great example of somebody who could become a Minister for Hospitality in the UK.

Seat at The Table are a group of young hospitality professionals who were encouraged to start a movement to drive support for the hospitality industry.  Here’s what is says on the website:

In parliament, representation for hospitality is currently split between two crowded government departments: the department for business, energy and industrial strategy and the department for digital, culture, media and sport. As the UK’s 3rd largest employer responsible for 3 million jobs directly and a further 1.8 million indirectly, our industry needs a clear and strong voice.

This year especially we have seen many examples of poorly thought out and disjointed thinking. Many of the restriction challenges we have faced might have been avoided if our representation in government had operational experience and a deeper understanding of the sector.

Our campaign showcases a broad range of hospitality venues throughout the country who feel strongly about this issue. Pubs and restaurants are more commonly referred to when the hospitality industry is discussed in the media or in parliament, but there are so many more elements that make up this wonderful industry. Hotels, cafés, bars and B&Bs are often overlooked in the narrative. We share a seat at our tables, we deserve a seat at the top table.

A petition calling for a Minister for Hospitality needs 100,000 signatures to be debated in parliament. We reached that target on Saturday 12th December… and the number of people signing is still increasing.

The Chefs’ Forum will continue to report on this campaign and have our fingers crossed for the desired outcome of the appointment of a Minister for Hospitality.  If we don’t win now, we will fight until we do, shining the spotlight on our wonderful industry and the crucial need for a greater level of support and respect from the government.

For more information on Seat at The Table visit www.seatatthetable.org.uk

Continuing Professional Development More Important Now Than Ever!

The chefs’ profession has never known a time like this in its history. 2020 has savaged the restaurant industry and with it the chefs who are its lifeblood. Chefs’ Forum writer Chandos Elletson (Publisher of Pure NPD and former editor-at-large of Restaurant Magazine), looks at what the consequences will be in 2021.

Just reading the pleas for signatures to the petition for a hospitality minister is enough to show that those chefs and restaurateurs who are at the top of the profession are fighting to hold back their emotions. The entire hospitality industry is at stake, that much is clear. This has gone beyond the furlough and the delivery scheme. Just doing takeaway and spreading out tables is now not enough. Without a determined effort much of the restaurant world that we know and love could disappear and it may never come back.

Even the much-wanted Hospitality Minister will not be enough. Yes, some much needed financial breaks might become more likely but that will take time. What each and every restaurant needs to do is look very closely at operating costs and changes in consumer behaviour.

Now is the time for boldness and common sense from the industry hierarchy.

Restaurants have been slowly starved of much needed money. But it goes much further than that. When the restrictions end and kitchens get ready to open again there will be much to do beyond just opening the door.

The furlough has kept staff in place and that’s a huge bonus. However, it is not enough. The problems will begin with the cash flow to get up and running again. Many businesses will have to deal with rent arrears. And then there’s the customers are how they are going to react. Will they want the same things that they wanted before?

All these things are imponderable at the moment. The crisis is so severe it is hard to see the wood for the trees, but one thing is for certain: menus and kitchen brigades will have to adapt. With less money costly brigades will have to be slashed and with that will come shorter, easier-to-produce, menus. Any restaurant that is not thinking along these lines is taking a huge risk – especially in the cold light of January and February – and that’s if the sector even opens up again.

There is likely to be less prepared food bought in and more basics produced in-house and that raises an important point: chefs’ skills will be at a premium. And this, for me, is where a Minister for Hospitality really earns their position and can offer something really useful.

What the hospitality industry needs, and fast, is a budget for re-skilling. Chefs education is more important than ever.

Mature chefs need an opportunity to learn new skills such as business, butchery, fishmongery, bakery, cheese-making and patisserie. But beyond that they need to start learning food science. The science side of food is growing at a very fast pace and what is happening in retail with plant-based alternatives will soon be hitting restaurants and more and more customers want those same alternatives to be on menus.

All these areas need to be addressed at an education level and money for colleges and time for chefs to study and retrain will enable the restaurant industry to return in a stronger position and make much-needed changes that will reflect the needs of the modern diner.

So, not only is it important to sign the petition for a Minister for Hospitality it is also important that an agenda for what that person will do be formulated as well. Time is of the essence.

Chefs’ Forum Education Consultant, Neil Rippington is currently running a series of CPD events throughout 2021 for Hospitality teaching professionals, he said

“The industry is vitally important to the success and standing of the nation on a global stage. We need a voice not only to represent the industry but to protect an aspect of life that we all rely on and perhaps have taken for granted in the past. Support from a minister would demonstrate the seriousness in which the government views the situation and provide a renewed confidence for the industry’s current workforce and those considering a future career in a fantastic and creative sector.

“As an educator, chef and someone who has advised government previously, I feel it is essential to continue to develop collaboration between education and industry. In my role as Education Consultant for The Chefs’ Forum, alongside the work we are doing to promote continuing professional development during a difficult time, I would relish the opportunity to have a seat at the table and assist in whatever way I can.”

This is the impressive line-up for the conference taking place across four days next month:

Day One

All UK hospitality teaching professionals are welcome to join the CPD Conference and can secure their place by clicking HERE.

Nestlé Professional has Launched its 33rd Toque d’Or Competition

Nestlé Professional has launched its Toque d’Or competition and hospitality awards for the 33rd time – with a new format and even more opportunities for young hospitality professionals to get involved.

The competition aims to inspire the industry’s next generation and provide them with the key skills required to succeed in their career.

In recognition of the increasing importance of community and inclusiveness, this year’s competition will be open to entry level Front and Back of House professionals as well as college students and apprentices.

Katya Simmons, Managing Director of Nestlé Professional UK&I, says: “2020 has been an unprecedented and hugely challenging year for hospitality. Through it all, we’ve pulled together and, now more than ever, it’s important we work as a community to help build a sustainable future for the hospitality industry.

“Toque d’Or has these aims at its heart. We’re passionate about supporting entrants to develop a wide range of relevant skills to help them in their careers and provide them with the opportunity to work with, and learn from, a number of leading industry experts and businesses throughout the tasks.  I’m proud of what the competition has helped past competitors achieve and look forward to seeing this year’s competitors.”

New for 2020, the competition timeline has been adapted in line with college courses making it easier for lecturers to support students in the process, and to provide the best opportunity to hold the finals and the hospitality awards face-to-face.

All Back and Front of House apprentices, students and young professionals (Commis Chefs and Waiters) will be given their relevant entry task on 1st February.  The heats will take place early April, with finalists announced on 30th April.  The Finals and the Awards will be hosted in the last week of June, with the Awards broadcasted live over YouTube for the rest of the industry to enjoy in the third week of July.

Entrants are encouraged to register via https://www.nestleprofessional.co.uk/toque-dor. Registrations close on 31st January 2021.

Chefs and Restaurateurs Keeping Hopes & Dreams Alive as Tier 4 Bites

Here’s a story of hope for Christmas: London restaurant Pidgin has exceeded a gofundme campaign to raise £60,000 to stay afloat through the winter. And in a heartening response regulars and fans of the founders have come out in support.

Pidgin was founded by James Ramsden and Sam Herlihy in Hackney in 2015 but faced an uncertain future when lockdown and then Tier 4 prevented them from being open.

The campaign proves that restaurants and chefs need to engage with their customer base and reach out in novel ways to keep them up to date with what is going on and how the business plans to remain viable.

In the short video on the gofundme site the pair explain, in a very charming way, what’s on offer:

Diners can choose from the following options:

• Put a down payment on a future meal.
• Have a private wine-tasting with our sommelier.
• Book out Pidgin for you and your friends when this is all over.
• Or, if you really want to push the boat out you can book the two founders to cook for you.

The restaurant pledged that a metal plate with the name of every donor will be hung on the wall with their name on it.

The fund has exceeded its £60,000 target, raising an excellent £63,110 so far!

The current climate has made it crucial for restaurateurs to engage with their customers, now more than ever and encourage their support in the fight for survival.