Challenges & possibilities for the chefs profession
In January 2012, the then Secretary of State for Food and Rural Affairs in Norway, Lars Peder Brekk, initiated a pan-Nordic project to explore recruitment practices and career opportunities in the catering sector. The idea originated in a common concern over the widespread difficulties of recruiting and keeping chefs in the catering and hospitality industry in the Nordic countries. A Nordic working group was formed with the purpose of digging deeper into the problems at hand and to try and solve them together by sharing examples of best practices and good examples from respective countries. The work is summed up in a report that will be presented to the Nordic federation for further inquiries.
Mandate of the working group
Based on knowledge as well as experience, the project's aim is to point out possibilities and challenges for chefs in the Nordic countries, especially regarding career opportunities and professional status. From a Nordic perspective, chefs are crucial in the ongoing efforts to promote Nordic diets and the Nordic food culture. Therefore, the project shall paint a broader picture and look upon the role of the chef as a promoter of the Nordic kitchen in the hospitality industry, in the public sector as well as in society as a whole.
Working group members
Chairman: Harald Osa, head of the foundation for Nordic Food Culture. Norwegian delegates: Ruth Hege Holst, director of the national union of chefs and Hilde Veum, recruitment advisor NHO Reiseliv. Swedish delegate: Hannu Husa, head master Nyköping Strand Utbildningscentrum Icelandic delegate: Niels Olgeirsson, chairman of the Icelandic union of catering industry workers, "Matvis". Danish delegate: Ronny Isvik, Culinary Project Manager, Madkulturen (the Food Culture). Finnish delegates; Daniel Lemberg, head chef, Åbo Yrkesinstitut. Working group secretary: Nina Mosseby, The Department for Food And Rural Affairs in Norway.
Photo: Christian T. Jørgensen / EUP-Berlin.com
Rapport fra nordisk prosjektegruppe - Rekruttering og karrieremuligheter i kokkeyrket (in Norwegian)
ARTICLE (17.2.2013): Frister ungdom til kokkeyrket (in Norwegian)