The Mirror spoke to Robert Walton about the crisis gripping the UK at the World Young Chef Young Waiter Young Mixologist England Finals
He was one of the hospitality heavyweights tipped to help rescue MasterChef following last year’s high-profile shake-up. But while the BBC ultimately turned to Grace Dent and Anna Haugh, with Giorgio Locatelli recently joining the revamped line-up, hospitality legend Robert Walton MBE says his focus remains firmly on a far bigger challenge facing Britain – the one million young people currently out of work, education or training.
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror from the opulent surroundings of The Peninsula London, one of the capital’s most luxurious hotels, the man known throughout the industry as the Godfather of Hospitality warned that ministers are overlooking one of the country’s greatest opportunities to tackle youth unemployment. The hospitality veteran was widely linked with last year’s MasterChef shake-up after Gregg Wallace’s departure, with industry insiders tipping him for a major role on the BBC series.
While television remains a possibility, with several projects currently in development, including concepts inspired by the World Young Chef competition, Walton says Britain’s growing NEET crisis is a far more pressing concern. His intervention comes as more than one million 16 to 24-year-olds are now classed as NEETs – not in employment, education or training – fuelling fears over the prospects of Britain’s next generation.
For Walton, who has spent decades helping launch the careers of some of the biggest names in food and hospitality, the solution is hiding in plain sight. “We don’t even have a Minister for Hospitality,” he said. “Hospitality is the third biggest employer in Britain and one of the easiest routes into work for young people. You don’t need a degree. You don’t need years of qualifications. We can teach people the skills. We just need the government to understand the opportunity.”
Walton was speaking after the World Young Chef Young Waiter Young Mixologist England Finals, held inside the spectacular two-Michelin-starred restaurant of celebrated chef Claude Bosi at The Peninsula London.
Against a backdrop of glittering chandeliers, flawless silver service and world-class cuisine, some of Britain’s most talented young chefs, waiters and mixologists competed under intense pressure for the chance to follow in the footsteps of hospitality’s biggest stars. For Walton, the contrast could not have been clearer.
Inside the competition, he sees confidence, ambition and extraordinary talent. Outside, he sees an industry fighting for survival while young people struggle to find opportunities. “The talent is there. The ambition is there. The future is there,” he said. “What is missing is a clear voice for hospitality at the heart of Government.”
His comments come as some of Britain’s biggest names in food sound the alarm over the state of the sector. Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge recently claimed hospitality businesses are closing at a rate of more than 20 a week, while restaurateurs Thomasina Miers and Tommy Banks have joined calls for urgent Government support, including a reduction in VAT to help protect jobs. Walton believes ministers are missing a huge opportunity. He wants Government to appoint a dedicated Minister for Hospitality and has championed proposals that would remove National Insurance costs for employers taking on 18 to 20-year-olds during their first year of employment.
“Hospitality is the great sweeper-up industry,” he said. “I don’t care where you’ve come from. I don’t care what your background is. If you want to work, we’ll teach you everything else.” The Godfather of Hospitality believes the sector can do far more than simply provide jobs. He argues it gives young people confidence, communication skills and a sense of purpose.
“It’s about people,” he said. “Young people today need confidence. Hospitality teaches them how to communicate, how to engage and how to build careers.”
The World Young Chef competition has helped nurture some of the biggest names in the business. Former winners and participants include Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing, Theo Randall and Mark Sargeant – chefs who went on to become household names and shape Britain’s culinary landscape.
Yet despite producing generations of talent, Walton says Government engagement with the industry has been almost non-existent. “I invite ministers to events all the time,” he said. “They never respond.”
Away from hospitality politics, Walton has faced his own personal battle. After successfully overcoming throat cancer, he lost much of his sense of taste but refuses to let it slow him down.
These days, he starts every morning with Greek yoghurt, berries and a special honey sourced from a family in the Peloponnese region of Greece. His altered taste buds mean he now favours stronger flavours and admits that champagne and Guinness remain among his favourite drinks.
Television opportunities also continue to beckon. Walton was widely linked with last year’s MasterChef shake-up after Gregg Wallace’s departure, with many industry observers tipping the Godfather of Hospitality for a role on the iconic BBC show.
While the broadcaster ultimately opted for Grace Dent and Anna Haugh, with Giorgio Locatelli recently joining the line-up, Walton revealed there have been ongoing discussions about a number of television projects. “Well, that would have been amazing, wouldn’t it?” he said when asked about the MasterChef speculation. “Obviously, Grace came, then Anna, and then you’ve got Giorgio. You never quite know. But still, there’s quite a lot in discussion with several other TV concepts that are currently in the pipeline.”
One of those projects is understood to be based on Walton’s globally recognised World Young Chef competition. “It’s a genuine kitchen competition,” he explained. “It’s actually quite far down the road. Watch this space. You’ve heard it here first.”
Asked about Locatelli’s appointment, Walton was full of praise. “He’s a really nice guy,” he said. “He hasn’t really done a lot the last few years apart from his BBC shows, but he’s very classy. Italiano. He looks good, and he’ll do well.”
Walton also backed the BBC’s decision to continue the format despite the upheaval. “It’s a historic format,” he said. “I’m glad that it’s underway, and I hope everybody does well.”
The hospitality veteran believes the enduring appeal of MasterChef comes from the same principles that have underpinned World Young Chef for almost half a century. “The format is very similar to what happens here at Young Chef,” he said. “They get a larder list, they create a menu, they’re given a directional theme by the judges, and then they’re ultimately judged. The difference is that our format goes deeper than that. “We’ve been going for 49 years – longer than MasterChef.
“It’s not just about food. It’s about the entire experience, which is why broadcasters are really starting to pay attention.”
Despite the television interest and the prospect of seeing his own format reach screens around the world, Walton insists his greatest passion remains supporting the next generation. Standing inside one of Britain’s most prestigious dining rooms, surrounded by aspiring young chefs chasing their dreams, the Godfather of Hospitality delivered a simple message to politicians.
“If we’re serious about tackling youth unemployment, hospitality can help. But the Government has to start helping us first.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
