Top chef and "enlightened entrepreneur" Tom Kerridge has single-handedly created a small gourmet empire. His philosophy? Incentivize employees with various benefits, including free gym membership
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Few people know that well-known TV chef and entrepreneur Tom Kerridge has as many as six restaurants, a catering service, and a dining room that can be rented for events and ceremonies. His success is skyrocketing, including the two stars he has won for The Hand & Flowers, but he did not start at the top.
@ BBC-Bone Soup Productions-Ellie Kynaston
Fame and money came many years after he worked as a dishwasher and did a long apprenticeship in the restaurant business; Tom came from a modest working-class family, and it was only with the tenacity of his early days that he carved out his corner of glory in the industry. On the other hand, he has recently been in the crosshairs of controversy because, while offering affordable menus, he sells steak and chips for £87 at his Michelin-starred pub.
Steak by Tom Kerridge -@Dovecotepark, Twitter
In fact, Kerridge has always made his culinary skills available to combat the indigence that inevitably triggers an improper and balanced diet, attempting to lend support and even working with associations and individuals to lead people toward healthy food. He rebukes the price criticism sharply, saying that as an employer, he rewards his employees with wages above the national average, providing them with various privileges and additional services, including gym memberships.
"Mine is similar to the John Lewis Partnership model," he notes. "When profits come in, the staff gets a percentage of it. Also, the cost of service is not imposed on the public as an extra. Everything is built into the price so that the staff gets the correct wage. If we treat them properly, the staff pays us back in terms of fairness and professionalism. The company is like a family."
Beef stew by Tom Kerridge
It is easier to be loyal and well-disposed toward the company you work for if you helped create or grow it, according to Kerridge: in fact, most of his staff have been with him for more than nineteen years. Returning to pricing, the chef concludes, "I don't think you can compromise on price without compromising on product; we operate in a niche space. For the skyrocketing costs, we have to thank Brexit, which hasn't done a single good thing so far."
Source: raconteur.net
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