UK Hospitality: We work hard to encourage our students to ‘think big’ about their future career

So the UK government have recently labelled the hospitality industry and its workforce as ‘low-skilled’ during the final planning of the Brexit immigration plans.

This really is a very wrong and old-fashioned view of hospitality, probably harking back to the rich being ‘served’ by the poor.

It also does nothing to encourage the millions of talented chef and hospitality students around the world, excited about entering a vibrant and varied industry where they can achieve whatever they set their minds too. A world where they can travel, explore new cultures and get an amazing sense of satisfaction.

Sure, it’s a tough industry too and very hard work, but the opportunities are endless – never has such a high quality of food been so widely available and hospitality is the UK’s fourth largest employer. Thank goodness time has moved on.

Perhaps the government should look again at this and listen to some of the people who are actually on the front line of the industry in 2018?

As a global awarding body for Hospitality qualifications, we work hard to encourage our students to ‘think big’ about their future career – for some the dream is to work in a top hotel restaurant, some want to work their way up in a Michelin-starred restaurant and a good number of others really do take a much more entrepreneurial approach to their career.

A dream of owning their own restaurant, cooking the type of food that excites them, working in the country they love, perhaps writing a book, working on TV, mentoring young students, immersing themselves in the world of FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD.

We spoke to a perfect example of a chef entrepreneur a few weeks ago – Adam Byatt from Trinity Restaurants – he has some inspiring words of advice for young people thinking about a career in Hospitality.