The rise of celebrity chefs and the reality TV show Hell’s Kitchen is a boost to the UK catering industry, according to Simon Taylorson, sales director of online recruiter Caterer.com.

Taylorson and colleague Rob Scarle sampled managing a kitchen with an induction day at Kingston’s La Tasca restaurant, where they learned skills including bar and kitchen work, and duty management.

He said the TV show and celeb chefs like Jean-Christophe Novelli (pictured) help demonstrate the career options in the industry.

“There are something like 100,000 vacant posts in UK hospitality. Anything that raises the profile of the industry gives people ideas of the kind career they can have in catering.

“The only downside is when everybody wants to be a head chef. Catering offers a career progression and there is a definite hierarchy – but people must start from the bottom.”