Jobs site says ‘new phenomenon for the hospitality industry’ shows no sign of abating as Christmas looms
Independent restaurants are being forced to offer hefty sign-on bonuses of £1,000 or more for chefs and other kitchen staff as the shortage of skilled workers tightens in the busy festive season.
Small businesses such as Angie’s and D Grande, both restaurants in Chiswick, west London, the Coniston Hotel in Skipton, and Galeta, a bakery in Hackney, east London, are offering sign-on fees of between £500 and £1,000. Larger rivals are offering even more: recruits at Harry’s Bar, the Mayfair private members club owned by the hospitality entrepreneur Richard Caring, will get £2,500, while the Côte bistro chain is dangling dangling £2,000.
