Michelin chefs dish out career advice

Chefs Mark Sargeant, Gary Lee, Adam Byatt and Phil Howard joined over 200 hospitality industry chiefs and over 500 young job seekers at London’s City Hall on Monday to promote hospitality as a career option for young people.

• Gary Lee has been at The Ivy for 10 years, read more about him 

The occasion was the British Hospitality Association’s annual Big Hospitality Conversation supported by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London. This is the second time the Big Hospitality Conversation is being hosted at the UK landmark.

Mark Sargeant, owner of the Rocksalt Folkestone said: “I'm so proud to have been invited to talk about my career at City Hall and hopefully inspire lots of young people to become involved in my glorious industry.”

This year’s event attracted household names including The Ivy, Rhubarb, Rocksalt, 1 Lombard Street, BaxterStorey, Benugo, Carluccio's, Ceviche, Wagamama, Compass Group, D&D London, Ed’s Easy Diner, Elior, Five Guys, Galvin Restaurants, Gaucho Restaurants, House of St Barnabas, KERB, Le Pain Quotidien, Neds Noodle Bar, One Kensington Gardens, Searcys, Shepherd's Restaurant, The Burger Bar at Harrods, The Roof Gardens, Trinity Restaurant Clapham, Vacherin Ltd, Whitbread Restaurants, WSH, YO! Sushi and many others.

Gary Lee, executive chef, The Ivy said: “I have long championed young people coming into the hospitality industry. They are our future and must be nurtured and encouraged. The Big Conversation, hosted by the British Hospitality Association, is the perfect platform to engage with the chefs of tomorrow."

The event at City Hall brought together London’s leading restauranteurs to inspire young job seekers and to inform them of the wide range of careers available in the industry. The event included a careers fair where BHA members were offering real career starts to job seekers on the day.