What are the current challenges facing our Australian hospitality industry post-pandemic? How is the state of the industry now compared to pre-pandemic conditions?

We have the privilege at Chef's Hat Australia of interacting with hospitality operators across the country from each section of the industry you can think of. Each day we hear not only their thoughts behind what would help assist their bottom line, but also the macro challenges they face now compared to what life was like pre-pandemic. 

Right now, the Australian food and beverage scene has come back with a vengeance from the hellish lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, and we've come a long way since then. Masks are no longer required for hospitality workers and density & gathering restrictions have now been scrapped, ushering in some restaurants around the country being busier than they were pre-pandemic.

But the large challenges that are still being felt across the industry today is:

1. "We need more staff"
2. "Freight is so expensive"
3. "The cost of produce is higher than it's ever been"

The reality of life for hospitality workers in 2022, is that chefs and staff are overworked, overwhelmed and can’t keep up with the demand. Many have either been forced to close their doors during certain parts of the day because they don’t have workers, or have had to adapt by grabbing equipment which does the same job. 

The rising costs of fuel has caused many who live outside of public transport locations to opt out of certain job opportunities; choosing to stay at home because they can earn the same from government incentives or dictating pay over and above the sense of normalcy for many venue operators.

The ever increasing costs of produce because of the floods in NSW & QLD has affected society as a whole with grocery bills being higher than they’ve ever been before; but for hospitality venues the challenge is even more widespread and some simply can’t afford to purchase $12 for a single iceberg lettuce.

The future of our restaurant, bar and cafe scenes are bright, but if covid has taught us anything it is that Australans are resilient and that we can get through this together.

Why are we writing this?

We are with you and are here to support you in any way we can to proactively find solutions that best meet the needs of your venue.

Although we are not in the business of talent recruiting, our large network of clients encompass hospitality workers to venues of all types, so if you need support in any way please reach out and we would love to help you in any way we can.