BOLZANO. Not very interesting, particularly regarding hours and salary. This explains why – according to a recent study byEconomic Research Institute from the Chamber of Commerce – The waiter is in last place in the attractiveness of professions. Hence the growing difficulty of restaurateurs and bar managers in finding staff.
For this reason, the last meeting of the management of public establishments Confessors – present Andrea Vinante (owner of Charro’s restaurant), Ivan Waldner (Casa al Torchio), Elio Simoni (Tortuga Beer and Pizza) e Luca Bonato (Il Romagnolo) – ended with a note that is yet another cry of alarm: «For the premises in Bolzano the staff is almost impossible to find. Many young people don’t want to work in the evening and it’s not a salary problem.”
So how do restaurateurs and hoteliers go about recruiting staff: increasing salaries, reviewing working hours or something else?
«Having established that the pandemic marked a watershed between before and after – explains Ivan Waldner, who has around ten employees -, to this are added the effects of the decline in the birth rate and the fact that from Eastern countries, such as Slovakia, practically no one comes anymore; in addition obviously to the lack of accommodation. For some years I have had four or five Albanian collaborators and I keep them close. Trying to accommodate, as far as possible, their timetable needs, given that in my place we work on both Saturdays and Sundays. I have colleagues who had to give up keeping open on Saturday evenings because they couldn’t find staff.”
However, it is said in many quarters that, given the commitment required, waiters, for example, are paid too little. What is the average salary?
It costs around 1,500 euros per month net. They have thirteenth, fourteenth, any prizes and tips. The problem as usual will be accommodation. We have two accommodations that we make available to our collaborators. The problem regarding Bolzano and its surroundings is always the same: the lack of accommodation, the unaffordable prices. All made worse by the fact that if you are a foreigner you have even more difficulty finding someone willing to rent.
Foreigners aside, wouldn’t there be anyone from other regions willing to come and work in Bolzano?
Of course, there would be interest from young people from southern Italy, but then they inquire about the possibility of finding accommodation and in the end opt for other destinations. Either politics decides to seriously address the problem or sooner or later a series of services will have to be given up. Catering is one of these.
Another question: there are those who say that 97% of the staff in your sector are not compliant.
It is false: this is a statement that also damages all of us by discouraging those who, perhaps, are thinking about whether or not to make themselves available. It is not so.
The Ritz hotel school
Young Italian-speaking people who are planning a future in the world of catering are trained at the Provincial professional hotel school “Cesare Ritz” in Merano. To direct it Maria Pascarella. About 400 the members. The study cycle lasts five years: the same two-year period for everyone; three years divided between lounge, kitchen, reception.
«The interest in working as a waiter – explains the director – is certainly there. Except that in recent years the role of the professional has been debased. So what I call – without offending anyone – the plate holder, is placed on the same level as the waiter who leaves school after five years of study. Our people are professionals and should be paid as such.
Too often the employer underestimates the importance of the waiter who is instead a strategic figure. He doesn’t just carry the dishes from the kitchen to the dining room. He is a professional who relates to the customer; he speaks, advises, suggests. He pampers, so to speak, the person who has taken a break for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Over the years he has often not been paid adequately for his role, for his preparation, for his commitment during the evening hours, including Saturday and Sunday”.
Do Ritz graduates generally stay in Italy or go abroad?
Our kids are in high demand all over the world. Italians, in general, are appreciated in the gastronomy sector, because they are considered good and prepared. Many, once they leave our school, go abroad for a period. To gain new experiences and improve your English.
Fabian and Biserka
«I chose – he explains Fabiano Pederzolli, 17 years old from Bolzano – the dining course, because I love contact with people; and then I like cooking. Of course this is a job that also requires some sacrifice. But those like me who leave school can aspire to go to work in four-five star hotels, where there are also salaries of a certain type and then there are tips.” Once he graduates, Pederzolli is already thinking about some experience abroad. «And in any case there is always the possibility of making a career by attending refresher courses in different sectors».
Biserka Sokol, 18 years old from Merano, will graduate from the Ritz school (hall course) next year and already has clear ideas about her future: «I followed in my dad’s footsteps and I’m satisfied. My dream is to open a café in Merano.”
But it means waking up at dawn and maybe even working on Saturdays and Sundays: willing to do it?
«Work doesn’t scare me at all. I like the idea of having my own place, where I can welcome customers for breakfast with coffee, cakes, croissants, juices, perhaps having a chat at the start of the day. And then for the late morning or afternoon-evening I intend to focus on aperitifs.”
Tags: waiters East Southern Italy accommodation needed Bolzano
