Dive Deeper into Brunch Fiasco Challenge with Ted Osorio
General Mills Foodservice launches video series featuring chefs tackling foodservice challenges with expert cooking tips.
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Chefs on the Line is a new video series from General Mills Foodservice that puts the Chefs of the Mills in real-world scenarios, where they must think on their feet to solve problems foodservice operators face every day.
In the first episode, Chefs Ted and Jessie tackled a particularly challenging issue facing back-of-house operators: keeping up when staff keeps calling out. Under pressure to execute brunch on time, the chefs worked together to create unique takes on traditional brunch menu items.
The challenge made for great entertainment, but it also highlighted a very real problem that has operators in a stranglehold as they manage demand that most definitely has not slowed down.
“Labor's always been an issue, but it's even more so now. I think that's probably the biggest change and the one that folks have to adapt to in foodservice,” says Chef Ted.
“The pandemic happened, and I think people had time with their families. And this can be back-breaking work, and sometimes it can really be a thankless job, and you're not getting paid a whole lot of money, and it takes you away from your family.”
And Chef Ted isn’t wrong. The restaurant labor force has the largest employment deficit of any industry in the United States, with a deficit of over 450,000 jobs compared to pre-pandemic levels. Data shows that inconsistent leadership has had a particularly large impact on the levels of churn, with limited growth opportunities and lower pay levels coming in closely behind.
Unless operators do something quickly to address these issues, we’re looking at continuing a nearly half million-employee deficit in the sector into the next year.
Motivated foodservice leaders know this challenge all too well though, and are doing everything they can to get, train, and retain quality staff. Smart leaders are offering their staff the education they need for upward mobility, the highest pay rates they can afford, and reforming bad management practices to create better working cultures.
For our part, General Mills Foodservice has pivoted with operators, helping to address the bottlenecks created by the labor shortage with innovative new products that reduce prep time and the need to train staff — many of which are brand new to cooking.