Le Caprice site reopened as a training academy for hospitality workers

The former venue housing Le Caprice restaurant in London is set to relaunch as a hospitality training establishment for 18-24 year olds, which owner of Caprice Holdings and The Ivy Collection Richard Caring says will help address staffing shortages affecting the hospitality sector.

Richard Caring told The Times that after closing the London St James' flagship a year ago - to the disarray of the many lavish guests who visited it over the course of almost four decades - it will temporarily serve as a formative space during its 18-month lease, offering six-week courses to inexperienced hospitality workers, from bartenders and waiters to kitchen porters and chefs. 

In the face of massive staff shortages in the hospitality industry, already of concern prior to but exacerbated by the pandemic and Brexit, he said, “we’re suffering like everyone else,” and as a consequence of being "very short of people," he added, "current staff are being asked to work longer hours and extra shifts.”

Whilst others have resorted to employment bonuses, he said that he was "not keen" on this approach, and that he would prefer to "get good people and give them a career. It’s not just a question of throwing £1,000 or £2,000 at somebody.”

In the long term, Caring would like to open multiple training sites across the UK in Manchester and in the South of England. Meanwhile, the business mogul is considering a 20-year lease on the current site in view of creating “something very original,” while he seeks a “more glamorous” site to reopen Le Caprice restaurant. 

The group is not the only hospitality business doing its part to tackle the current staffing shortage: The restaurant group behind Carluccio's is spending £250,000 on a training academy above its Islington outpost, whilst last week Umbel Restaurant Group leader Simon Rogan announced the launch of a culinary academy in partnership with Kendal College, which will give students the opportunity to follow the curriculum for 18 months with the opportunity of a stage at Roganic Hong Kong at the end of it.