What are you worth? Salary Checker!

SALARY CHECKER

So that you are paid fairly for the work you do, you need to know how much your skills and experience is worth. To help increase your salary, improve your CV and interview techniques.

Pay may not be the main reason you do your job, but employers need to value and reward your commitment and efforts. Of course, and especially in these times, bosses want to keep costs down and may pay as little as they can get away with. To get a pay rise you need to present a good case with evidence of what is being paid in the marketplace for a similar role.

AVERAGE SALARIES
Data compiled 14 November 2008. Average salaries depend on level of experience, location and ranges are for the basic salary and do not include bonuses or other benefits.

For more on this..go to:

http://www.hotjobsinhospitality.com/jobboard/cands/newsview.asp?id=1232&nc=&ex=

Essential Ingredient in the Kitchen!

So, we've set up various discussion topics within the new group UK'S BEST CHEFS on facebook
( if your not already a member, hello! Get involved! Be proud of what you are!)
Really pleased to see that people are getting involved and getting stuck in with the discussion, i love hearing what everyone has to say! It's good to see what other people who share the same interests use for their secret ingredients or to perfect their dishes. We can all learn something here, i know i am as i go along!

Anyway, we have come to the conclusion that, these are the top 5 ingredients that anyone who's an experienced or quality chef could not live without in the kitchen under no circumstances!

1. Salt
2. Pepper
3. Garlic
4. Olive Oil.
5. Herbs for seasoning ( yes we know this is cheating but hey, herbs is one word right!?)

If there is anything there that you feel doesn't belong, or you feel that you have a better idea as to what's more important, come and join in!

Me personally, i would put them in this order:

1. Garlic
2. Salt and Pepper (hehe)
3. Herbs
4. Olive oil
5. Wine ( of any kind, strictly of course for cooking purposes and no other reason! :S)


Check the link
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=42380857135&topic=6151#/group.php?gid=42380857135&ref=ts

Christmas Pud!

Ok, so if i'm cooking one this year, so can you!
Try this out, Traditional Christmas Pud Recipe!

Ingredients

225g/8oz golden caster sugar
225g/8oz vegetarian suet
340g/12oz sultanas
340g/12oz raisins
225g/8oz currants
110g/4oz candied peel, chopped
110g/4oz plain flour
110g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs
55g/2oz flaked almonds
1 lemon, zest only
5 eggs, beaten
1 level tsp ground cinnamon
1 level tsp mixed spice
5g/1 level tsp freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
150ml/5fl oz brandy or rum

Method

• Lightly grease 4x600ml/1 pint or 2x1.2 litre/2 pint pudding basins.

• Mix together all the dry ingredients.

• Stir in the eggs and brandy and mix well.

• Spoon the mix into basins. Put a circle of baking parchment and foil over the top of each basin and tie securely with string. Make a string handle from one side of the basin to the other so it is easier to pick the basin out of the pan after cooking.

• Put the basins in a large steamer of boiling water and cover with a lid. Boil for 5-6 hours, topping the boiling water up from time to time, if necessary. If you do not have a steamer, put the basins in a large pan on inverted saucers on the base. Pour in boiling water to come a third of the way up the sides of the pudding bowls. Cover and steam as before.

• Cool. Change the baking parchment and foil covers for fresh ones and tie up as before. Store in a cool cupboard until Christmas Day.7.

To serve: steam for 2 hours and serve with brandy butter, rum sauce, cream or homemade custard.

Pancake Recipe!

Ok, so i know that we all love pancakes, and we've all eaten pancakes before.
Also, i don't want to insult all those experienced and professional chefs out there who can cook up a gourmet meal by posting a recipe for pancakes on here.....

HOWEVER! i am going to, for people who are just getting started with cooking and catering.
(you know who you are!)

Here is a recipe to cook pancakes for 8 people, couldnt be easier!


INGREDIENTS

190 g all-purpose flour
10 g baking powder
6 g salt
10 g white sugar
295 ml milk
1 egg
45 g butter, melted


DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.
Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Ice Cream!

How Amazingly Yummy does this look!

Look How big it is! I was amazed!

Don't know if you've noticed...but BIG dessert fan over here!

Starting your new Job!

When you start your new job there are many aspects to consider along with the actual duties you will be doing. Effective time management will make the transition into your new role so much easier by developing techniques to reduce pressures and to make the best use of your time.

WORK AREA

Organising your workspace includes ensuring the materials and equipment you need to do the job are close to hand.
Ensure lighting is positioned to avoid eye strain, that your desk accommodates all your paperwork and that your chair is well designed and comfortable.
Keeping an uncluttered desk avoids that snowed under feeling and enables you to concentrate on prioritising the tasks with ease.
Place your paperwork in logical orders of action, information and waste. Keep filing up to date and regularly throw away or archive information that you do not need.

COMMUNICATION

Develop and maintain positive lines of communication with your colleagues and managers by providing them with necessary information and using internal e-mails effectively.
Plan your calls with an outline of the objective and what you are going to say, keeping the call concise, informative and polite.
Make sure that urgent deadlines take priority.
Arrive at meetings on time and well prepared. Try to come up with our own solutions to problems but stick to the facts and don’t give opinions unless they are asked for, important or relevant.
When attending meetings, work out the purpose of the meeting and whether there is a set agenda. Notes should be taken clearly containing essential information on what was discussed and agreed.

For even more valuable advice... check this link out
http://www.hotjobsinhospitality.com/starting-your-new-job.cms.asp

cateringforums.net

Hi Guys!

There is a website called Catering Forums.net which i think is fantastic!
If you like a good chinwag, exchanging recipes and general food related discussion then check it out because i highly recommend it!

We have posted a few discussions that are regularly updated with comments, so get involved!

Here's a few ideas as to the kind of chat's we are having:

1. Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver?????

2. Weirdest and nicest food you've ever eaten???

3. Ever done a come dine with me????

4. Favourite Restaurant??????

4. What came first, the Orange or the Colour Orange???????


These are to name but a few, there are hundreds of other chefs, catering staff and food addicts on this site and many many more topics to chat about. It's also a good place to promote yourself as a chef and to share your ideas.

Here's the link:

http://cateringforums.net/

Top Tips for Getting the Salary You Want!

When being Interviewed..........

• Don’t talk about money
• Let the hirer speak first
• Hog it (hand over gob)
• Share your knowledge
• Deal

DON’T TALK ABOUT MONEY
In an interview scenario, why bother talking about money until you and the hirer have agreed that you are suitable for the business and that the business is suitable for you. No point discussing money until you get an offer and anyway, if the hirer asks what money you want / what you are earning currently, they are gathering information on what your expectations may be. If your answer is too high, then you could lose out on an offer, if your answer is too low then you’ll lose out to a lower salary proposal on an offer or, be eliminated - because if you don’t value you, why should they?

Discussing money can be a little awkward and after the duties have been clarified, you need to make the hirer aware of what you are going to bring to them. You can always express to the hirer that the most important thing is the role and the company and that you are aware of the pay scale for the position (at least, you should be aware before you attend an interview, otherwise why are you there!) and should you be fortunate enough to be offered a position, then the finer details can be discussed at that stage.

LET THE HIRER SPEAK FIRST
It’s all about timing. Don’t give out all your information too early. When it comes to discussing remuneration, let the hirer go first. That way you’ll know what they would like to pay and then you can demonstrate your thoughts backed up by your research. After all, you’d be gutted if you were looking for £25K and because you spoke too soon about your expectations, they offered you £25K – only to find out later that the hirer was actually going to offer £28K! Or, you overpriced yourself, for a job you really really wanted anyway, and lost out on the position because they felt you wouldn’t be happy with the salary in the longer term.

HOG IT
This could apply to the above point also. Once the hirer has told you the salary on offer, respond calmly (regardless of how you actually feel). If the offer is too low, they probably know it and are likely to be trying it on. If it’s too high, job done!

FOR MORE ON THIS, CHECK OUT THIS LINK
http://www.hotjobsinhospitality.com/jobboard/cands/newsview.asp?id=1246&nc=&ex=

Food Jokes!

What sound does a peanut make when it sneezes?
- Cashew!


What did the female mushroom say about the male mushroom?
"He's a real fun guy [fungi?]."


What do you call cheese that doesn't belong to you?
- Nacho cheese!


What did the baby corn say to the momma corn?
Where's pop-corn?



I Know I know, i sighed as well when i read them! Had to be done on a Friday afternoon!

Funny Food Quotes!

'Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.'

'Fish, to taste right, must swim three times -- in water, in butter and in wine.'

'The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star.'

'Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.'

'Ever wonder anout those people who spend $2 apiece on those little bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards.'

'A Balanced Diet Is A Cookie In Each Hand'

'Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands- and then eat just one of the pieces.'

Handling Redundancy!

We know this is a bad time at the minute with loads of redundancies going on and with the old credit crunch! But Redundancy doesn’t have to be a negative experience and in a lot of cases, it can provide the opportunity to go for a career change or to do something you would not have previously considered. If there are rumours that your firm may be making redundancies:

• Do try to speak to your boss to find out if you may be on the list.
• Update your CV, put the feelers out and start seeking alternative employment.
• Get your finances in order, to give yourself the best chance of financial survival.
• Being made redundant is not your fault so think positively about the things you can do, now.
• Don’t burn your bridges, keep on good terms with your boss and obtain a good reference.
• Even if it takes longer to find a new position than you had hoped, keep yourself and your mind active by updating your skills and even consider some voluntary or charity work whilst looking for your new job.

Thai Green Curry Recipe!

Found this Awesome recipe for Thai Green curry from the BBC Food website, very excited about it actually cos i love a good curry and i didn't know what to have for dinner tonight...now im sorted! Looks really easy as well so i thought id share with you.....


Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour


Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp green curry paste (according to taste)
1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
1-2 thick stalks lemongrass, fat ends bashed with a rolling pin (optional)
750g/1½lb skinless, boneless chicken, cut into chunks (use breast and/or leg meat)
6-8 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces (if unavailable, use the grated zest of 1 lime)
400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
good shake of Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce
small handful of coriander
roughly chopped½-1 lime, juice only

• Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the green curry paste and sugar and cook over a fairly high heat for about a minute, stirring with the lemongrass, if using.
• Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the chicken pieces and lime leaves or zest until coated in the paste.
• Add the coconut milk, fish sauce or soy sauce and bring to a simmer, cooking for 25-30 minutes until thickened slightly.
• Stir in the coriander and lime juice. Check for seasoning, adding more fish sauce or soy sauce if needed.

The curry is now best left to sit for a few minutes so the sauce becomes creamier. You will also taste the true flavours of the curry paste ingredients when it's slightly cooler. Serve with lots of fragrant Thai jasmine rice.



HMMMMMM!

Interview Tips!

Grooming

• Always dress smartly using bright colours only as an accessory, not to dominate your outfit.
• Take only one neat bag or small briefcase with you.
• Limit jewellery to small subtle pieces, make sure your nails are clean & well trimmed and that your hair is tidy.
• Small amounts of light perfume or aftershave is fine but make sure it is not overpowering and don’t spray anything just before entering the building.
• Good personal hygiene and fresh breath is essential.

Etiquette

• An interview is your chance to make a positive impression and good manners are vital. The position you have applied for may not be the right one for you but the company may well be and the company could call you back for a different position in the future if you conducted yourself with style.
• Prior to attending the interview, make sure that you know exactly where you are going and the time of the meeting.
• Find out who will be seeing you and make sure you pronounce their name correctly and know their title within the company.
• Check out the route you will take and ensure that you arrive at least 15 minutes early. This will show that you are keen and also give you an opportunity to fill in an application form if needed.
• When entering the reception area, be mindful that the first impression is created here.
  Always be polite and friendly to the reception staff as they can often be the most powerful people in the company. Why? Because they are constantly liaising with senior management and if you have been less than impressive on your introduction, you can guarantee that the decision makers will hear of it and no matter how brilliant your interview went with the personnel officer, you will not get that job because you don't fit into the culture of the company and have shown a disrespect for others.
• Bring with you a copy of your CV in case the interviewer asks for it and have your references with you but only offer them if asked.
• On introduction to your interviewer, shake hands firmly, make good eye contact, wait to be asked before sitting down, always sit upright and show interest in what is being said.
• Never smoke, eat or chew gum even if the interviewer offers you or is doing so.
• Always remain polite, friendly and professional whilst also showing enthusiasm.

For More tips- Log onto www.hotjobsinhospitality.com

Spicy Olive and Mozzarella Pizza Recipe!

-Pizza Dough-

• Pile the flours and salt on to a clean surface and make an 18cm/7 inch well in the centre.

• Add your yeast and sugar to the tepid water, mix up with a fork and leave for a few minutes, then pour into the well.

• Use a fork to mix in a circular movement, slowly bring in the flour from the inner edge of the well and mix into the water. It will look like stodgy porridge – continue to mix, bringing in all the flour.

• When the dough comes together and becomes too hard to mix with your fork, flour your hands and begin to pat it into a ball.

• Knead the dough by rolling it backwards and forwards, using your left hand to stretch the dough towards you and your right hand to push the dough away from you at the same time.

• Repeat this for 10 minutes until you have a smooth springy soft dough.

• Flour the top of your dough, cover it with cling film and let it rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature. This will make it easier to roll it thinly.

• Now divide the dough into as many balls as you want to make pizzas, i.e. lots of small ones or a few larger ones. I’d say about 6 fist-sized balls would be the right number for this amount of dough.

Timing-wise it’s nice to roll the pizzas out 15 to 30 minutes before you start to cook them. If you want to work further in advance then you can keep the dough in cling film in the fridge rather than having rolled-out pizzas hanging around for a few hours. To get them ready for this, take a piece of the dough, dust your surface and the dough with a little flour or semolina, and roll it out into a rough circle about 0.5cm thick. Tear off an appropriately sized piece of tinfoil, rub it with olive oil, dust it well with flour or semolina and place the pizza base on top. Continue doing the same with the other pieces and then, if you dust them with a little flour, you can pile them up into a stack, cover them with cling film and put them in the fridge.



-Topping-

• Preheat your oven to its highest setting. Top each of your pizza bases with one nice big tablespoon of spicy olive, garlic and tomato pasta sauce. Tear your buffalo mozzarella into chunks and sprinkle these over each of your pizzas with a little oregano.

• Finish with a drizzle of olive oil then put your pizzas straight on to the bars of the oven to bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the base is nice and crispy and the mozzarella is all melted and gooey.

ENJOY!

Gordon Ramsay's Boxwood Cafe Review!

Hi Guys!

I thought i would share a recent experience with you that i had at the Boxwood Cafe in Knightsbridge- owned and managed by Gordon Ramsay.

We walked in, and the atmosphere was lovely. Me and my partner were greeted by two ladies who happily took out coats and showed us to the bar area ( we were slightly early so we had a little tipple!)
Every member of staff was so polite and smiley.
Cocktails were amazing! I had a purple rain which was incredibly fruity with real blackcurrents and blackberries floating around it was fantastic!

We sat in a corner seat of the room that had a square table and a sofa-type cushioney seat which was very comfortable. Even though it was a posh place to eat, we were comfortable and the atmosphere was great. It was packed and everyone was chatting and havin a good time.

We had a 5 course meal with a glass of wine that complimented each course, this was an option but we thought why not!?!? We also had a fantastic Somilier explaining each wine to us as it was poured, it was very impressive!

Food was immense, starter was a ham,cheese and pea like soup which was beautiful! wanted more!
the bread and garlic butter was smooth and went down like a treat!
We had tuna steak for 1 course, salmon in lime sauce, beautifully soft steak, a green pea salad with mint, asparagus and cress, check out the menu for yourself on the website because i could go into detail, but frankly my advice would be to SEE IT FOR YOURSELF! As it is an amazing experience.
The pudding was my favourite, chocolate fondue with biscotti, bananas, marshmellows and strawberries provided...Amazing!
Definatley the best experience in a restaurant i have had in my life! i cannot recommend it enough!

Top Tips for Job Hunting!

Finding the right job is more than just responding to adverts.
The first thing you need to decide is what would make you happy in terms of the environment you want to work in, the ethos of the company and the mix of personalities within it. Yes, a good salary is of huge importance but so are the duties you’ll be doing on a daily basis. You spend most of your life at work, so how you spend your day is crucial to your all round contentment. Make sure the role will give you the satisfaction you crave and suits your work/life balance in terms of hours, location and pay. Let me know if you'd like more tips on creating a great CV, interview or career advice.

Brownie Recipe!

Now, this a recipe that i think everyone will be interested in! I personally adore Jamie Oliver and here below is a recipe for a simple yet yummy dessert which is known to all as a brownie.
I have followed this and made them numerous amount of times and they are delightful and extremely easy to make if you follow these simple steps:


Bloomin' brilliant brownies
Serves 20

This great little recipe is taken from Jamie Oliver's - Little Book Of Big Treats which he put together exclusively for Comic Relief (Awwwwwww what a sweety! i love him)

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line a 25cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate and mix until smooth. Add the cherries and nuts, if you’re using them, and stir together.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar, then add this to the chocolate, cherry and nut mixture. Stir together well. Beat the eggs and mix in until you have a silky consistency.

Pour your brownie mix into the baking tray, and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. You don’t want to overcook them so, unlike cakes, you don’t want a skewer to come out all clean.

The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still gooey in the middle. Allow to cool in the tray, then carefully transfer to a large chopping board and cut into chunky squares. These make a fantastic dessert served with a dollop of crème fraîche mixed with some orange zest.•

from Jamie's Little Book of Big Treats

Top Tips for CV writing!

Top tips for writing a great CV

It’s all about first impressions...

• Your CV is your most important selling tool and without a good CV you will not even get an interview.
• Some CVs try to look “different” and this can frustrate the reader so keep the format simple and uncluttered.
• Don’t put false information on your CV - reference checks and in depth questioning will confirm the accuracy of your statements.
• Your CV will highlight your skills, experience and accomplishments, and a well presented CV is likely to encourage the company to actually interview you.
• Try to limit the length of your CV to a maximum of three pages and include details on awards, memberships, courses attended, language and technology skills.
• Remember that a short, clean and to the point CV has a better chance of being read all the way through.

Catering Forums!

I've been surfing the net today to see what i could find on the wonderful world of the internet to do with catering. I found a few catering forums, all of which had loads of recipes and different topics to talk about.
I made marshmellows last nite from a recipe that was posted on one forum! And it even Worked out really well!

Im quite surprised that there are not more chat rooms dedicated to Catering topics, purely for the fact that there are so many people out there who are so enthusiatic about their line of work....and most importantly about food!

We are Born!

Very excited about the progress we've had so far. We've only been running a month or so now and already weve reached over 4,000 jobs on the site!

Everyone in the catering industry is soooooooooo nice!

I didnt realise that were so many different job opportunities out there, whether it be in management or as a sous chef then we've got it listed!

Im impressed in the feedback that we have had regarding the look our site, clients have told us that they like the layout and the colours and i am glad that it is easy to use. As a complete techniphobe myself, i think its great and very self emplanitory! :)