Koch closes Meet&Eat”: lack of staff and health as causes!

Koch closes Meet&Eat”: lack of staff and health as causes!

In Tuttlingen, the “Meet&Eat” restaurant will close its doors at the end of July 2023. Chef and restaurateur Sandro Gay made this decision out of passion, but not without taking into account the financial and emotional hurdles of the last few years. The business, which opened in 2018, is part of the “Stadt Tuttlingen” hotel, which Gay also manages. Despite his tireless work seven days a week, the situation is no longer sustainable. Gay has been looking for qualified staff for some time, but the temporary staff are not enough to maintain operations. “The burden is simply too great,” says the operator, who also takes on tasks at reception and in accounting. Schwäbische.de reports on his difficulties that have built up over the years.

The corona pandemic has left its mark not only on Gay’s Restaurant, but also on the entire hospitality industry. The numbers speak for themselves: around 100,000 employees are missing compared to the pre-pandemic period due to massive job losses and many employees switching to other professional fields. Gauss from the food-pleasure-restaurants union confirms: “Over 25% of employees chose another job during the pandemic and are not returning.” The hospitality industry has therefore come under pressure, as was also found in the study by the Hans Böckler Foundation. Tagesschau.de highlights that the industry is seeing itself with fewer and fewer employees and many of them are already planning their professional future outside of the hospitality industry.

Challenges and negative impacts

Gay has tried to keep his business afloat in recent years through various measures, such as a hot dog food truck, but sales have been disappointing. The renovation of the town hall footbridge also meant that the street was less frequented for about a year and a half. “Meet&Eat” can therefore only open for groups of 15 people or more upon request, which has significantly reduced the restaurant’s attractiveness. The ongoing problems in the hospitality industry are due, among other things, to low wages and a lack of job attractiveness, which is why many employees are turning their backs on the industry. Merkur.de informed about the difficulties that young people in particular are faced with, who often see no prospects.

Also central to Gay's decision to close was the health of his wife, Katiuscia, who has had brain tumor surgery. This shows how important family time is in such a stressful industry. “You have to prioritize your health and time with your family,” he said, adding that closing the restaurant was a logical consequence. While his main business remains the hotel, the passionate restaurateur has no choice but to pull the emergency brake.

The current situation speaks volumes about the challenges in the hospitality industry in Germany: an industry that was once very popular is fighting against a massive decline in employees. Employers are required to significantly improve working conditions and create incentives to counteract the staff shortage. They hope that such a step will not only strengthen the industry, but also increase the return potential of many talented specialists.