The chef shortage – it’s a fundamental and well-documented challenge for the hospitality industry, and one that is having a real impact on the way restaurants and other food businesses operate.

Projections suggest the industry will need an additional 11,000 chefs in the next five years and that businesses are still struggling to fill vacancies – but there were 28,390 chef students in 2015/16 alone; so why do we have a shortage at all?

Our report combines new and existing data with views from key industry commentators, businesses, students, learning providers, head chefs and recruitment agencies to tackle this question once and for all, and find out:

1. What is the extent of the chef shortage?

2.  What is causing the shortage?

3.  What’s the impact of the shortage?

4.  What needs to be done to address the shortage?