The Benefits of Working as a Relief Chef
It is no surprise to hear that many Chefs find their pay often doesn’t reflect the long hours and key challenges of working in a permanent role.
Others will thrive on stability, getting to know a core team and being able to work up the ranks.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you are looking for from your work and what stage you’re at in your career.
Here are some of the key benefits of working as a Relief Chef:
Choose your hours for a better work-life balance
Do you have a young family, or have you spent years working weekends and you’ve now decided you want more flexible working hours on your own terms?
Well, the good news about working as a Relief Chef is that you say when you’re available and the work will fit in with that.
At Goldstar Recruitment, we always have a need for Relief Chefs so it means that we can keep you busy for the hours you want to work.
This flexibility will undoubtedly mean that you are able to continue doing what you love but with the added benefit of a better work-life balance, being able to spend time with your family or having more time for yourself.
Get paid for all the hours you work
It is common knowledge that while permanent Chef salaries reflect a 40-hour week, the reality is that most Chefs end up working more like 80 hours per week.
So, for all those late nights and overtime, it’s no surprise that as a Relief Chef you can end up being financially better off, getting paid for every hour that you work.
As a Goldstar Relief Chef you can expect to be paid between £12 – £18 per hour, depending on what level of Chef you’ll be working as and where the work is located.
As long as you’re keen, flexible, and reliable, you’ll be kept busy and earning a healthy wage!
Keep it all about the cooking and less about the politics
Most Chefs choose to do what they do because they love to cook and they love the buzz of the commercial kitchen.
But like all workplaces, kitchens can come with stress and politics which can take the fun out of the job.
A reason why some of our senior and executive Chefs have switched to relief work in recent years is that they find it is the best way of doing what they love (cooking!) whilst being able to avoid the day-to-day ‘kitchen politics.’
Experience new ways of working, new kitchens, and new people
Just like anything, people find that repetition can sometimes reduce motivation and the opportunity for new challenges.
Many Chefs love the variety that comes with relief work as it means they are constantly working in new environments, learning new skills, and meeting new people.
This is great for both more and less experienced Chefs for different reasons, and even if relief work is temporary, many find that doing it for a period of time can really add to their skillset and give them that all important kitchen buzz.
The Goldstar Difference
We work with a huge variety of different locations, placing hundreds of Chefs in hotels, restaurants, gastro pubs, universities, colleges, and schools which means no two jobs are ever the same.
There might even be the opportunity for ‘live in’ accommodation during the job if it’s for more than one day.
Relief work is great for seasoned Chefs that have spent years in one kitchen and want to mix things up, and also a great solution for those starting out who want to have a go at working in different sectors to see what environment they like best.
If you are already in a full-time work, you can give temping a try on your days off to earn more money and gain more experience. If you like it, you can become full-time agency Chef.
Get in touch
We are passionate about our recruitment agency’s ability to match the best people with the best roles. We cover the following areas: Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Hertfordshire, and the Cotswolds. Now with offices in London and Birmingham.
Contact Info
01993 225 075
oxford@goldstarrecruit.co.uk
Unit 15, Glenmore Business Park, Langford Locks, Kidlington, Oxon, OX5 1GL
0207 046 7171
london@goldstarrecruit.co.uk
5th Floor, 167-169 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PF
0121 227 4900
birmingham@goldstarrecruit.co.uk
Grosvenor House, 11 St Paul’s Square, Birmingham, B3 1RB