Reliable, talented chefs are at an all time low Photo: ALAMY  The shortage is already having an impact on existing staff, he says, who are left having to work extra hard to fill the gaps. "And it will have a knock-on effect on the quality of food and the price, if it gets any worse."  Outside London, it’s even harder to attract the right people. Sam Pearman, who owns the Lucky Onion group of boutique hotels and restaurants in the Cotswolds, says most good young people want to get experience in London, and once they reach a certain level, they leave. "The shortage means that the younger chefs are quite often forced into roles that are above them, and they quickly struggle and then leave because of over-work."  • London's best new restaurant and bar openings  He’s been increasingly forced to turn to agencies, whose staff are paid far more and can choose where and when they work. "The costs to us are staggering - and they are not loyal and often let us down at key times."  And poaching staff, says Neil Rankin, is rife: "I’ve never done it, but I must admit I’m considering it."  One answer to the problem is getting more young people into the industry, which is hardly a quick fix solution.Sadly, television has glamorised the image of the rock-star chef, with a fast track to culinary stardom - which means they have a nasty shock when they enter the kitchen.  "I don’t need the next Gordon Ramsay walking through my door but I do need a basic level of civility to employ someone or want to work with them," says Neil Rankin. Sam Pearman agrees. "Most of the apprentices we have taken on aren’t up to the hard work and hours. I think a lot of the training goes into promoting the potential glamour of the industry and not enough into the harsh reality of the job which involves long hours."  What seems to be missing is a real love for the food. "I hope anyone running a kitchen pays as well as they possibly can", James Ramsden says, "but most jobs for young people aren’t paying desperately well. It’s about passion. If you are into cooking you accept the hours and the pay. That’s the territory, that’s just the way it is."  • What's all the fuss about the Chiltern Firehouse?  At Chiltern Firehouse, Patrick Powell says they’ve been determined to provide a good environment with the kind of work ethic and camaraderie that will make people want to stay. "The industry has to change. It has to be nicer, more respectful to staff. We offer a good thing here, and it’s better than anywhere I’ve ever worked before. But maybe it’s up to head chefs in London to come to some kind of agreement to grow their staff, nurture them and move them around so they can get the different experiences they need".  And with that, he’s off, back to the kitchen, to help out where it’s needed. One of the capital’s top chefs, in one of its top restaurants, will spend his Saturday night in the garnish section. That’s loyalty. If anyone can bake that soufflé in an earthquake, perhaps it is him.
Long hours and low pay -  is working in a kitchen the least desirable job? Felicity   Spector finds out how the shortage of chefs is affecting the restaurant   industry