Just 1,200 chefs are being trained annually in Ireland while 5,000 are required, research by TU Dublin indicates.
The latest assessment of Future Skills Requirements in the Hospitality Sector in Ireland indicates a need for around 5,000 additional chefs each year to meet the demand.
Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire, lecturer in Culinary Arts at TU Dublin says that there should be a change in attitudes towards pursuing a career in the culinary field. He emphasises the vast opportunities available in the sector and highlights the positive changes that have made it more family-friendly with improved work-life balance.
To bridge the skills gap, he suggests that parents, students, and the industry should recognise the potential and invest in staff development, thus nurturing a talented pool of individuals within the hospitality industry.
