# The Benefits of Being an Agency Chef Post Pandemic

In the UK, employers are struggling to find enough staff as businesses continue to reopen. While this is being felt across all industries, restaurants are finding it particularly difficult to hire enough staff.

This labour shortage puts agency chefs at a particular advantage, providing opportunities for those working in hospitality. Agency chefs can reap the benefits of this job market as they seek these high demand jobs, negotiating better terms.

### Why Agency Chefs are in Such High Demand

As the lockdowns lift and hospitality reopens, Britain’s employers are hiring at the fastest rate in eight years. Consumers are showing a pent-up demand for dining out, and employers are eager to take advantage of the reopening to recoup funds lost over the past year.

However there are fewer chefs available to work. This is being attributed to a number of factors, including fewer EU workers in Britain due to Brexit. Many migrant workers, which the British hospitality industry relies on, have left.

Furthermore, because of the uncertainty of the hospitality job market, some chef professionals have left the field altogether during the pandemic. All of these factors have combined, leading to fewer chefs, and employers are increasingly turning to agency chefs to meet the demand.

### Higher Reliance on Agency Chefs

Online job adverts for food preparation have increased by 507% since reopening was announced in February. These job openings put agency chefs into a favourable position as they renter the workforce.

Employers, finding themselves short staffed, are beginning to rely more on agency chefs to fill the gaps. They recognize that agency chefs have unique skills that can allow them to reopen quickly, taking advantage of loosened restrictions and a busy summer season. This allows for the versatile and adaptable agency chef to slot into these open positions.

### Benefits for Agency Chefs

With jobs in high demand, pay is increasing, and desperate employers are offering better terms of employment.

### New Opportunities

Agency chefs are being presented with new opportunities in this post pandemic world. Restaurants are recruiting chefs that may not have a full range of skills, who would have found it difficult to get work in previous job markets. Recruiting is also opening to workers from other countries. This puts agency chefs into new kitchens, allowing them to increase their skills and meet new people.

### Freedom and Flexibility

While permanent staff may be forced to work upwards of 60 hours per week, agency chefs are earning more, and being paid for all hours worked. Additionally, businesses are in some cases changing their operations to accommodate chefs. They may be scaling down to a four-day work week, or providing better benefits than previously offered. Agency chefs have freedom and independence, allowing them now more than ever to choose their own terms.

### Join Our Team

Agency chefs are in a position to benefit from the post pandemic return to work. With the right skillset, chefs can work in high level jobs, with better terms than ever. If you are a chef who would like to take advantage of this unprecedented job market, or are considering agency work, lean how to join our team.

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