Irish kitchens are experiencing a hiring crisis when searching for new chefs, according to a Restaurant recruitment expert.
The number of cooks in Ireland peaked in 2019 at 26,000 but has fallen sharply since the pandemic.
Many chefs exited the sector during the last two years because of the restrictions imposed on the hospitality sector.
Founder and Chief Executive of We Have Chefs, Paddy Lynn, says the demand is overwhelming:
"We very quickly realized that there was huge demand for the chefs. I knew personally from the restaurant I worked in that chefs were always the hardest person to get your hands on, especially good ones. It was very clear that something had to change. I think one of the big issues people had while thinking on that subject was that the foreign chefs might only be capable of producing their own cuisine."
