John Lewis launches chef academy to combat industry shortage

The John Lewis Partnership has become the first retailer to launch its own chef academy to help address the shortage of qualified chefs in the UK.

A joint survey released last week by UKHospitality, the British Institute of Innkeeping, and the British Beer and Pub Association, found that 76% of operators within the sector had chef vacancies.

The retailer will be taking on up to 10 apprentices this year with the potential to increase that number as part of a long-term commitment to support the industry.

The apprentices will spend a year learning and working in the kitchens of the Partnership’s head offices and hotels, which cater for its 78,000 partners. The apprenticeships are being advertised on JLPjobs.com with anyone welcome to apply, and flexible hours and shifts will be offered wherever possible.

More than 80% of the course will be hands-on experience with candidates learning different roles, helping to create breakfasts to eight-course fine dining dinners, as well as catering for weddings and charity events.

On completion, apprentices will receive a Professional Commis Chef Level 2 qualification. While the course has been primarily designed to set them up for a career in the hospitality sector, there will also be opportunities for apprentices to take on permanent roles as commis chefs or chef de parties at one of John Lewis' hotels.

The hotels include the Odney Club in Berkshire; the Leckford Estate in Hampshire; Ambleside in the Lake District; Bala Lake hotel in Snowdonia National Park; and Brownsea Castle in Dorset.

Michael Abadee, an executive chef for the John Lewis Partnership, said: “The UK has always delivered some of the world’s best chefs, but that has come under threat in the last two years as the industry has come under increased pressure. The academy is a huge opportunity for people with a shared love of great food to be inspired and develop the skills they need to become the country’s future chefs.”

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Our figures show chefs in particular are in short supply in the UK - 76% of food-serving hospitality operators are looking for chefs to hire – and so we very much welcome this new academy. Last month we launched our new hospitality workforce strategy in order to support initiatives just like this, at a time when we are facing a staffing crisis.

“Vacancies in hospitality are at a record high, costing the industry £21b in lost revenue as operators are forced to trade fewer hours or close for whole days. In a climate such as this, initiatives like this one are an important part of efforts to ease the crisis.”