23 May 2025 · Head Chef
Fewer young people are becoming chefs in the UK, and it’s fuelling a hospitality staffing crisis. Discover what’s driving the decline — and what employers can do to reverse it.
Once upon a time, becoming a chef was seen as a bold, creative career path — a chance to master a craft, work your way up, and one day run your own kitchen. But in 2025, UK kitchens are missing something vital: young chefs.
If you’re hiring, you’ve probably noticed it. CVs are skewing older. Fewer fresh faces. Fewer juniors willing to start at the bottom and work their way up. The talent pipeline has thinned — and it’s not by accident.
Let’s explore why young people aren’t becoming chefs anymore, and more importantly, what hospitality employers can do about it.
Hospitality leaders and kitchen managers across the UK are sounding the alarm: the entry-level talent pool is drying up. A few key reasons stand out:
Young people often see chef work as:
Add in the media coverage of toxic kitchens and burnout stories, and you’ve got a branding issue. Cheffing no longer looks like an aspirational job — it looks like a sacrifice.
During COVID, thousands of junior chefs and trainees were laid off or furloughed. Many left the industry and never came back. Career changers and school leavers saw how fragile hospitality could be, and chose more “stable” options instead.
Catering colleges and apprenticeships have seen huge funding cuts in recent years. Some colleges closed altogether. Others struggle to attract enrolment.
👉 According to the Education & Training Foundation, the number of young people (aged 16–19) starting hospitality and catering-related further education courses in England fell by 36% between 2016 and 2023. That’s a massive drop in just seven years.
That means fewer structured, affordable ways for a 17-year-old to learn the trade. And fewer chefs-in-training entering the market.
Let’s be honest — there are more appealing entry-level jobs out there for young people:
Why train for years to earn £10–12/hour and work split shifts when you can do less and earn the same (or more) elsewhere?
Without young chefs entering the industry:
And ultimately, restaurants close or scale back because they can’t staff their kitchens.
If we don’t fix the pipeline, the future of British hospitality is in real trouble.
Here’s the good news: the interest is still there. Many young people do want to cook, be creative, and be part of something bigger. But the industry needs to meet them halfway.
This doesn’t always mean throwing money at it (although better pay helps). It means:
A good culture is a magnet for young talent.
Whether you run a high-end restaurant or a neighbourhood pub, training junior staff should be a priority.
Ideas:
You don’t need a Michelin star to grow great chefs — just patience and a plan.
Right now, the perception of chef life is dominated by negatives. We need to reframe the narrative.
Use your website, social media, and job ads to:
Let people see what’s great about this work — not just what’s hard.
If you're only posting jobs on generic job boards, you’re missing younger candidates.
Instead:
Think beyond CVs and tap into curiosity.
There’s no silver bullet — but there is a clear path.
If we want more young chefs, the industry must evolve. That means better conditions, better communication, and more investment in people at the start of their journey.
At Only Chefs, we’re committed to helping you find passionate chefs at all levels — and giving young talent a reason to stay in the game.
👩‍🍳 Ready to connect with the next generation of chefs?