Rick Stein: "Think restaurants are a way to print money? You try it!"
The chef speaks with Graeme Green about his experiences on Masterchef, criticism of 'Padstein,' and the challenges facing the hospitality industry at Christmas.
Childhood Memories and Hope for Industry Relief
Among all the Christmas gifts Rick Stein received as a child, one was his clear favourite. “One year, I was given a push-pedal car,” he recalls. “I was still tiny, and we were living in the Cotswolds. You sat in the car and pushed the two pedals, and went round and round the sitting room in it. I loved it.” Those days were simpler.
Now, seven decades later, Stein is hoping for a more practical gift—not from Santa, but from Keir Starmer. “A moratorium on VAT would be good,” he says, referring to the support needed for the struggling hospitality sector.
Industry Challenges and Tax Concerns
“80,000 jobs have been lost in hospitality this year. Things aren’t going well in our particular part of the industry,” Stein explains. He tries to remain reasonable, understanding the need for government revenue but criticizes recent tax policies.
“What the government is trying to do, I guess, is to increase tax revenue by fostering growth, but raising National Insurance simply stopped growth. If you’re faced with ever-increasing taxes, you’re going to cut back on labour wherever you can. You’re certainly not going to hire people unless you absolutely need to.”
“I appreciate that the country is not in a good state, but it seems to me a complete ‘home goal’ to target parts of the economy that are not well-equipped to deal with it. Hospitality is always taken as slightly second-rate way of the national wealth, but tourism and hospitality are so important.”
Stein highlights the vital role tourism and hospitality play despite often being undervalued.
Author's summary: Rick Stein reflects on his childhood and the harsh realities facing the hospitality industry, urging for tax relief to protect jobs and support this vital sector.
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