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Frank Camorra on how to stop apprentice chefs leaving the industry

Frank Camorra
Frank Camorra

Frank Camorra says being a chef allows him to be creative every day.
Frank Camorra says being a chef allows him to be creative every day.Supplied

COMMENT

Not many people know I spent five years studying to be an architect. I thought I was moving into a creative industry, but after spending time in a few offices during the university holidays, I quickly realised the daily reality of many office jobs was not always very creative.

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It wasn't until I began my career as a chef that I found an industry where I could be creative every day and get a daily response from the customers I was serving. Not many industries offer that opportunity.

However, there is a shortage of chefs and a high dropout rate of apprentices. At MoVida we are unable to hire enough local chefs to staff a restaurant. And the key to improving the industry is staff retention at the apprenticeship level.

When many apprentices enter the industry, their perception of the job often doesn't match the reality. There is no denying that being a chef means long hours, daily deadlines and high stress. In my experience, if an apprentice chef can last three to six months, they are likely to stay in the industry for the long-term.

When many apprentices enter the industry, their job perception of the job often doesn't match the reality.

But there are a lot of things the industry and head chefs can be doing to help retain apprentices. At MoVida I am proud to say that between 80 and 90 per cent of our apprentices complete their apprenticeships. You will never find one of my apprentices doing nothing but washing dishes for six months. The industry needs to offer a structure that allows apprentices to make a career for themselves.

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I am also a big believer in mentoring. We regularly have two-way discussions with our team, and our apprentices feel comfortable to give feedback if they are not getting the support they need. Mentoring and a good workplace culture are essential in this industry, which is why I have signed up to be a mentor for the next Fonterra Proud to be a Chef program.

It's a four-day culinary experience and mentoring program for apprentice chefs. Only 32 apprentices from across the country will be selected to participate in a series of masterclasses from myself and Tony Twitchett from Taxi Kitchen in Melbourne as well as various up-skilling workshops and fine-dining restaurant experiences.

For me it's an opportunity to reassess what I can do for apprentices and how we can make the job more sustainable, because if you're an apprentice chef and stick with it, you will enter an industry that is about much more than an eight-hour working day.

As a chef you will work with people who are outgoing, fun and passionate about what they do. It's an industry that's not just about going through the motions; it's a whole lifestyle. That's why I'm proud to be a chef.

▪ Apprentice chefs have until October 31 to apply to be part of Fonterra's Proud to be a Chef program with Frank Camorra and Tony Twitchett. For details, see fonterraproudtobeachef.com.au.

Frank Camorra is the executive chef at MoVida.

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Frank CamorraFrank Camorra is chef and co-owner of MoVida Sydney and Melbourne's MoVida Bar De Tapas.

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