TRAINING CHEFS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23106, 3 August 1938, Page 12

TRAINING CHEFS

apprenticeship: PLAN I TEACHING WAITRESSES 1 HOTEL WORKERS' PROPOSAL - SUPPORT OF EMPLOYERS | BY TF.LKGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] "WELLINGTON, Tuesday An outline of plans for apprenticing boys to chefs to enable them to become competent cooks, and also for " training waitresses, was given by Mr. K. G. Young, national secretary of the Hotel Workers' Federation, during the hearing of the private hotels' industrial ' dispute in Conciliation Council in Wellington this afternoon. The proposals were approved at the New Zealand Hotel Workers' conference last month. Mr. Young said the plan had been communicated to the Licensed Victuallers' Association, which had indicated that it was prepared to support it wholeheartedly. The aim was to ensure a constant supply of competent cook 3 and waitresses.

Great Shortage in Dominion The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. M. J. Reardon, remarked that the chef was one of the most highly-paid workers in the country, yet he did not know of one case in the Dominion where a youth had been apprenticed to a chef to learn this undoubtedly highly-skilled occupation. There was a great shortage of competent chefs in New Zealand. The plan would be carried out by the Hotel Workers' Union in as many centres as possible, said Mr. Young. It was essential to have the co-operation of the employers and he had received assurances that this would be forthcoming. It was proposed to start off with about 10 boys and apprentice them to chefs for a period of five years, at the end of which time they should be well qualified as cooks. Need for Higher Standard It was admitted that this was an occupation in which there was a surprisingly small degree of proficiency in New Zealand and he felt sure the plan would meet with general approval! - The scheme provided that, in the event of a chef changing his place of employment, he could take his apprentice with him or transfer the appretiticeship to another chef. This would overcome what had always been considered the main objection to the proposal in the past.

So far as waitresses were concerned, the union aimed to hare them issued with certificates after a period of training.

General approval of the plan was expressed by the employers' assessors.