Sunday, 28 April 2013

WHO IS NUMBER ONE ON GOOGLE FOR THE SUPPLY OF MICHELIN STAR TRAINED CHEFS TO YACHTS?


SILLY QUSTION BUT WE CANNOT RESIST SHOWING OFF!!
 
If you search for 'Michelin Star trained chefs for yachts' on Google or 'Where am I on Google' for our URL you get the following results and that is totally with any SEO work!
 
We are rapidly becoming recognised as a company that has deep Michelin Star contacts that can introduce the stars of tomorrow, to the lucrative international  yacht market and with the wages there of between £60,000 and £85,000 per annum, usually tax free, who knows our applicants may save up enough to set up their own Michelin Starred restaurant.
 
Chef or Superyacht, call us any time, day or night. We will answer but if not you will hear from us within one day. That is a promise and we never break our word!

 


Position: 1



M STAR TRAINED CHEFS X 2 FOR YACHT CONTRACT MAY AND JUNE.
TURKEY AND SICILY. NEGOTIABLE. We need TWO Michelin Star trained Chefs
for ...


Position: 2



We need TWO Michelin Star trained Chefs for short term contracts in May and
June to work on yachts in Sicily and Turkey. They must be Michelin Star trained in ...

 

Thursday, 11 April 2013

MICHELIN STAR TRAINED CHEFS FOR SUPERYACHTS


Below are 3 links to sites, that have published after a press release done for us By Yachting Pages, the Yellow Pages of the yacht world.

Nearly 10 years ago we were asked to find a Michelin Star trained chef for a Superyacht.

Recently, quite by chance, we became engaged to find similar chefs, for four yachts, in as many weeks, including the original yacht. Clearly they must have worn the first one out after so many years at sea!

We have,subject to contract and start date on one, placed three. The fourth is not yet over either. The owner, a major player in the world of cuisine and cooking has just flown one of his own contacts out to the United States for a trial and if that does not work out our applicant is next.

That yacht has already recommended Gladstone Park Chefs to a new build in the yard where their yacht is being refurbished.

 




Whether you are a chef or a superyacht you will definitely find what you are looking for at Gladstone Park Chefs

Wednesday, 27 February 2013


 


MICHELIN STARRED CHEF FOR THE MARIE CELESTE
SUPPLIED BY GLADSTONE PARK CHEFS!

What has been happening here at Gladstone Park Chefs is enough to put the most practical, pragmatic, cynical and sceptical mind to the test.
Gladstone Park Chefs has always been respected within the UK hotel and restaurant industry for supplying the best chefs, experienced from  AA Rosette standard to Michelin Stars and indeed many Michelin Starred chefs, are friends of its principal consultants, because they respect the integrity with which they work.

A reference from somebody else, is always better than blowing your own trumpet, so I thought I would drop the reference that is at the bottom of my emails in here.

A reference from Ian Samson, one of our regular clients over many years
Ian hired you as a Recruiter in 2000 and hired you more than once, as executive chef of the select Hand Picked Hotels group.
“There are too few recruiters who actually understand chefs, what it takes to deliver the expectations of our employers , customers, media and peers, and crucially, which chef fits in each individual role. Thankfully, John is one of these guys.”

 To be honest, until recently, the Isle of Wight was overseas for us, apart from one time nearly 10 years ago when we placed a chef aboard a yacht, who had worked at or staged (unpaid work at a top restaurants) at:-


LE MANOIR AUX QUATR’ SAISONS
L’ORTOLAN
LE GAVROCHE
THE WATERSIDE
CHEZ NICO

 He has come back to us now and is looking for a larger yacht with a brigade of at least two chefs and he is looking to start in April so call us if you are interested!

However I digress, the first position that we took on in January, we had a call from the wife of the captain, ‘early one morning’ and no that is not me about to break out in song with one of your favourite sea shanties! J I do not know who was the more surprised, her for getting me that early or me for being given a yacht position!

 We had been selected, quite by chance. However it just might have something to do with the fact that we are number 1 on Google when you search for Chef Recruitment!

We had some previous experience, so we were as delighted to take on the position, as she was to find out that we could supply Michelin Star trained chefs, many of whom had won or maintained a Michelin Star in their own right!

 A week later we were approached by another yacht and felt sure that we had been highly recommended. Nothing of the sort, simply another chance contact. We have placed top chefs on both of them!!

 The third one it really started to get a bit spooky. The yacht we placed on nearly 10 years ago came back to us! We have not placed that one yet but we are working on it, indeed as we are our fourth one now. That one is a sailing yacht though not a motor yacht.

 Our applicants may not always have their STCW95 or ENG1 but they have worked at Michelin Star standard, sometimes worldwide. So if you are looking, you know where to come now. In fact if you want the best, you could go elsewhere but to be honest, I do not think that you have a ghost of a chance of finding chefs the same calibre as ours.

 


JOHN BOWMAN-BAKER
MANAGING DIRECTOR
GLADSTONE PARK CHEFS

 
www.gladstoneparkchefs.co.uk
+44 (0)1295 265 366

Thursday, 7 February 2013

WHAT DO I NEED FOR CHEF JOBS ON CRUISE SHIPS OR LUXURY YACHTS?


WHAT DO I NEED FOR CHEF JOBS ON CRUISE SHIPS OR LUXURY YACHTS?

Before we start, we would like you to know that we have a 100% record in placing Michelin Star trained chefs on Super Yachts and we now have an associate company, that is one of the leading suppliers of personnel to the cruise ship market and they serve the majority of the leading, luxury cruise fleets.

There are many rules and regulations, so we shall explain the prerequisites for working at sea. Once you have read them, if you feel that you might qualify, send your CV in the first place to john@gladstoneparkchefs.co.uk and confirm that you meet all of the criteria below. Please ensure that your CV has a good, modern photograph on it, as appearance is paramount and a picture can be your passport to securing a position at sea.
Please also state whether you are looking for work on cruise ships or yachts.

If you do not meet, even one of, the criteria below, you will NOT be able to find employment at sea on a cruise ship and most likely a yacht and sadly we will be unable to assist you but we would still be able to find you something in the UK so long as you stay at least 1 year in the vast majority of your jobs.

YOU MUST NOT HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING

FACIAL HAIR                                 LONG HAIR                           TATOOS

A CRIMINAL RECORD                  ASTHMA OR CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS

ANY MAJOR SURGERY IN THE PAST 10 YEARS

 ADDICTION TO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL
 

YOU MUST MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS

BE ABLE TO GET TO LONDON PRE JOINING

HAVE £1,000 AVAILABLE FOR INITIAL COSTS FOR MEDICALS, VISAS, MONEY TO TIDE YOU OVER UNTIL YOU ARE PAID ETC

BE OVER 21 YEARS OF AGE AND UNDER 35 UNLESS YOU HAVE ALREADY                                    WORKED ON SHIPS

HAVE A GOOD STANDARD OF ENGLISH         

 

There are other rules, regulations and requirements but so long as you pass the qualifications above these can be explained to you later.

 

THE JOB, THE POSITIONS, THE PAYMENTS AND THE HOURS

Salaries are paid monthly in either Euros or US Dollars so you will need to check that your bank can accept your paycheques in those currencies. Please note that you will only be paid for the months worked on board.

The hours are long and arduous and can be from 11 to 14 hours per day.

The following will give you an idea of the sort of salaries that you can expect. Salaries are paid gross without any deductions for tax. Tax liability in the UK will be reliant upon how many months you are out of the UK but generally you should seek guidance from HMRC

Please note that for any head chef position in main the kitchen or pastry, you would need to do a tour at sous chef level first to acquaint yourself with working at sea. Below are sample incomes for a selection of the most common positions.


CRUISE SHIP POSITIONS

CHEF DE PARTIE      $2,500 PER MONTH ( 1,825 EUROS )

SOUS CHEF               $3,300 to $4,000 PER MONTH  ( 2,475 TO 2,920 EUROS )

PASTRY CHEF           $3,000 TO $4,000 PER MONTH ( 2,190 TO 2,920 EUROS )

EXECUTIVE H/C         $6,500 PER MONTH ( 4,745 EUROS )

 
YACHT POSITIONS

HEAD CHEF               6,000 TO 8,000 EUROS PER MONTH
 

Because of the high number of covers on cruise ships, experience in banqueting will give you an advantage, as will having worked at renowned restaurants and hotels.

Please note that hygiene standards are American. They are higher than in the UK and you will have to pass examinations in them. Other certification required will be explained to you as part of your application process.

If you are looking for a yacht position you will require ENG1 and STCW95 certification.

ENG1 is a medical certification. STCW95 is basically a safety at sea certification.

A lot of yachts need chefs fast so you would do yourself a favour if you got your certification before you start looking for a position. However please let us see your CV first so that we can advise you as to the suitability of your CV for gaining a position on a yacht.

Please feel free to visit our site at www.gladstoneparkchefs.co.uk or call John on
+44(0)1295 265 366

 

                 

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

FINDING AND LOOKING AFTER YOUR CAREER AS A CHEF


I used to run an advertising and marketing design agency before I came into chef recruitment. They are very similar, creative yes but also a lot of long and antisocial hours with lowish incomes. If you want a long and profitable career you need to start right and carefully manage your career and your CV.

GO TO A GOOD CHEF COLLEGE TO GET THE BEST CHEF JOBS

So where do you start and how do you ensure that you have a long and profitable career?
I would always advise people to do an NVQ course. You can start directly as a Kitchen Porter or maybe a Commis Chef somewhere. You may even prosper and become quite accomplished but there are going to be things that you miss that a college will teach you and those gaps in your education could severely restrict your career as time goes by or restrict what type of dishes you are able to prepare. If you want to experience the buzz of working in a kitchen from the start, you can always arrange to do stages ( Working unpaid in an establishment to get the experience ) or find part time work while you are studying.

It is worth trying to spend a little time sweeping up or something in a butchers, so that you can get a chance to learn how to butcher properly. That will save waste later on and give you the best chance as a head chef to protect your GP ( Gross Profit ), especially now meat prices are starting to rise but before you start practising please make sure that you get a chain mail glove!! A lot of establishments buy in certain cuts and a lot of younger chefs simply do not know how to set about butchering a carcass.

SO YOU ARE ALREADY A QUALIFIED CHEF SO HOW DO YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR CAREER AND ENSURE THAT IT IS A LONG AND PROFITABLE ONE?

It is understood that you will want to learn as much as possible in the early years but try not to move positions in less than one year, unless there are extenuating circumstances, as most establishments are looking for chefs who will become at least a semi permanent part of the team.
If you want to experience other methods arrange to do a stage at different places.
Entering competitions will enhance your career because you only go in for competitions if you feel that you can win them and that confidence speaks volumes about you before you even go to a trial or meet anyone.



LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT

No I am not going mad, nor am I advocating that you join the army. I always advise my candidates, in alternative positions to improve on your quality and improve on your position
So you might be a Chef de Partie at a 1AA Rosette, then it is worth going back to a commis at a 3AA Rosette for a period. At Gladstone Park Chefs we often get chefs who are head chefs who want to get into a Michelin Starred establishment. We advise them that they will probably need to go back to being a commis on a very low wage. Those that take the challenge invariably go on to make their name in the profession.
If you are a chef de partie at a Michelin Star establishment you will find it easy to get accepted as a sous chef or even, at times, a head chef at a 1 or 2 AA Rosette establishment.
Whilst it is mostly a young person’s game and many fall by the wayside, look at the top names in the industry. Nobody argues about age when you have a high level of skills. Would you employ one of the Roux brothers? You bet you would, even though they may be old enough to be your grandfather.

LOOKING AFTER YOUR CV PROPERLY AND YOUR CV WILL LOOK AFTER YOU

Your CV is your calling card. It introduces you before they ever meet you.
You may keep your station clean and your Whites washed but if your CV is untidy it will infer that you are scruffy and have poor hygiene.

As already mentioned, try to stay in your positions at least one year and if possible two or three years. That way your CV will stand out and employers will want to see you first. If you move in less than a year most of the time you will find it extremely difficult to be considered for the best jobs. A lot of the top chefs join a Michelin Starred brigade to start with and will stay years until they have exhausted what they can learn.

Always put your last position first.
Always put months as well as years on your CV
Do not just put your name, your position and the establishment.
Put where the establishment was. There are hundreds of ‘Black Lions’ or similar so where was the one that you worked at.

Tell prospective employers as much as you can, for example, the size and quality, any accolades etc.

If you have any menus or photographs of your work that you are proud of attach them to your CV.

If you left anywhere in less than one year then explain why but do not end up with a list of reasons why you have not stayed anywhere for long. You will be the reason, not where you work.
So I hope that has been useful to you!

John Bowman-Baker
Managing Director
Gladstone Park Chefs


 For more information about Gladstone Park Chefs, check the website out at:








Friday, 10 August 2012

HOW FINE IS YOUR CV FOR THOSE COVETTED CHEF JOBS?


YOU MAY BE A GOOD FINE DINING CHEF BUT YOUR CV NEEDS TO BE JUST AS FINE

You know that face to face, especially if a trial is concerned, that you will be at the top of the shortlist but what if you never actually get to the interview stage? It is no good being one of the best, if you do not create opportunities for others to know about you.
Yes, social media is blinding and will get you openings but you will still need to send that CV first and that is what you will be initially judged on. If it is a mess, you will be sending a mental impression of a dirty kitchen, whereas what you really need and want to do is display your very best plated work and before I help you to understand what we and our clients are looking for on a CV, do not be shy about sending a few pictures of some of your best work. I would also suggest that you consider using a picture of yourself on the actual CV itself.
It may sound crazy but the best chef jobs really do often go to the chefs with the best CV’s.
We have already spoken about perceptions of your kitchen because of bad CV’s. It is just as bad as going along to an interview with dirty jeans and worn out trainers. If you really want those important chef jobs then work smart and ensure that your CV and you both look the part.

CV TEMPLATES

You may wish to use a CV template but if you do be very careful as to what you choose. Euro Pass is one such template. Looks fine, looks neat but it is usually very difficult to extrapolate information from.
The rule is a simple one, make it as easy as possible for your agency or prospective employer to know all about you and leave a smart impression. If you have a template that can do that fine but if not do not be lazy, construct your own and we would be more than happy to help once you have applied the rules below to your CV.
We will now go through what you need to include on your Chefs’ CV. Before we do, remember,you can always send us your CV for comments, even if you are applying for a job that is not with our agency.

HOW TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE CV

Everyone knows that they need to start with their personal details followed by your education.  A recruitment agency will need to send your CV without your contact details on so, if possible try and present it in Word rather than as a PDF. There are programmes that can convert PDF’s to word but it better by far to present your CV in a programme that can be readily altered from the start.
OK, as I have just done above, use Bold or capitalise to highlight the important bits. Mostly the establishment, your position and the dates that you were there. At the end of this I will show you an extract of how we get a lot of CV’s and how to do it the proper way.
ALWAYS start with your most recent position last and work backwards
At the top of each chef position that you have had put the establishment and any accolades that it had. If it is a hotel try and say how many stars the hotel had. Try and put the geographic location too as there are a lot of Manor House hotels, or Red Lion gastro pubs in the UK.
Then put how long you stayed there and ensure that you put the month as well as the year, as most employers are looking for people that stay at least a year in each position try and explain the reason for any short tenures of less than one year.
Put your position for all of the chef jobs that you have had, both when you started and when you left.
It is extremely important to say how many covers the establishment had and the size of the brigade. If they did functions as well as fine dining say if there were separate brigades or separate kitchens. This is very important as it rarely works if somebody from a 5 Star background with 30 chefs goes into a small 40 cover restaurant and vice versa, so this will help us or any other agency, if they are doing their job properly,to find the RIGHT chef job for you, not just a chef job.
For all position under Sous Chef, so that is from Commis Chef, through Chef de Partie to Junior Sous Chef, state which sections you worked on. Some sections, such as sauce, will carry a lot more weight that doing the Mis en Place for instance but it gives your prospective employer an idea of your strength. Some places will need, say an average Chef de Partie, another will want a Chef de Partie who is very strong, especially in smaller establishments where they may even be called upon to run the pass. One is arguably no better than the other, it is a matter of horses for courses and it is because we understand that point that Gladstone Park Chefs has such a powerful reputation in the industry from Clients and Candidates alike.
SPECIAL NOTE TO PASTRY CHEFS
If you are a pastry chef, because many pastry chefs just put Pastry Chef, it is important that the client understands your position and its duties. There is a huge difference between a pastry chef who is basically a Chef de Partie, working under the instruction of the Head Chef and one that is running a brigade of 6 Pastry Chefs, in a 5 Star Hotel with banqueting to 300!
Lastly, try and give people an idea of the style of food and do not be scared to include a menu it van speak a thousand words that you cannot.

SAMPLE EXTRACTS OF BAD AND GOOD CV’S

Believe it or not we get a lot of CV’s like the first example!! These are not actual establishments and are only shown to illustrate good and bad CV’s

2012                BLACK LION                 SOUS CHEF
2010-2011       THE GROVE                 SENIOR CHEF DE PARTIE
2007-2009       RIVERSIDE                   CHEF DE PARTIE         

January 2012 to present                  THE BLACK LION,                       Banbury, Oxfordshire
SOUS CHEF                                          Gastropub 1AAR, Les Routier
50 cover restaurant plus ‘gourmet’ bar meals to 30 and a further 20 covers outside in the summer.
Brigade of 6 chefs, plus one extra relief chef during the summer.
Modern British cuisine with slight Asian influences
Reason for leaving, the pub has gone into liquidation and I have been made redundant

January 2011 to December 2011                THE GROVE                        Thurrock, Essex
CDP TO SENIOR CHEF DE PARTIE                4 Star Hotel 2AAR
40 cover restaurant plus two function rooms of 80 and 120 respectively
Brigade of 8 chefs
Mediterranean Style
Reason for leaving, wanted to experience more function work. It proved not to be what I wanted but as I promised at my interview I still stayed for one year.

January 2007 to December 2009                RIVERSIDE  HOTEL             Sonning, Berkshire
COMMIS CHEF TO CHEF DE PARTIE            3 STAR, Bib Gourmand
80 cover restaurant Brigade of 6 chefs, plus one extra relief chef during the summer.
Classical French Cuisine
Reason for leaving, to experience working on functions
Which one would you employ? They are the same person. To be brutally Frank the first one is so lazy, so missing any real information I would most likely discard it in the exactly the same way that I would reject a plate of sloppily presented half cold food or something badly overseasoned!
Please feel free to contact me 24/7 on either 01295 265 366  or  077 233 07214

John Bowman-Baker
Managing Director
Gladstone Park Chefs


Monday, 27 February 2012

CHEF JOBS


A local solution to a National problem, through GLADSTONE PARK CHEFS who can provide quality local chefs and Front of House staff in Manchester.

There are never enough chefs jobs at quality gastro pub or AA Rosette to Michelin Star level, or at least not enough that will stay well over a year and give establishments the service, standard and continuity that they really need.

How can a national company like Gladstone Park Chefs really know what the market is like in Manchester when they come from Oxfordshire?

It is simple, we refuse to deal with bad estabishments or bad candidates. 
If we send a number of applicants to particular chef jobs in the Manchester area and we get bad reports, we remove that company from our lists. If we send the same candidate to a number of establishments and get bad reports on them we stop working with them.

We make similar notes about good places and good candidates. We ask our chefs, front of house staff and establishments to report back to us, a bit like our own personal Trip Advisers.

That way we may know intimate details of kitchens in places that we have never ever visited and over 15 years that builds into an impressive portfolio of personally vetted clients and candidates and it is why if you look John Bowman-Baker our MD up on Facebook you will see that a lot of leading chefs are friends as well as clients because they respect that integrity with which we work.

Commis or demi chef jobs in Manchester
Chef de partie and senior chef de partie jobs in Manchester
Junior Sous chef to Senior Sous Chefs, Pastry Chefs or Head Chefs in Manchester

We will supply suitable candidates or we will send nobody at all and we now supply front of house too. Chefs de Rang, Restaurant or F&B Managers, Receptionists and Reservations clerks and managers and Sommeliers in Manchester.

Look to GLADSTONE PARK CHEFS for solid hospitality solutions in Manchester