The Catering and Hospitality sector in Edinburgh
The capital of Scotland. One of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The home of the Fringe. Edinburgh is a truly spectacular city. But it’s not all pretty streets, Scottish pride and experimental theatre. This city is one of Europe’s best cities to live and work in catering and hospitality. Whether you’re a bar manager or a chef just starting out, inspiration lies around every corner in ‘Auld Reekie’.
Though Edinburgh is a more expensive city to lay down roots than its fierce rival Glasgow, wages in the capital are higher. Our most recent data suggests that an average chef can expect to take home £23,603 a year (£1,874 more than Glasgow), whilst a head chef on average earns £5,674 more than in Scotland’s second city (£33,395, as opposed to £27,721).
Scotland’s capital is not just an incredible place to live and work today, it’s also a city that’s still developing. With so many tourists visiting from all four corners of the earth, there’s a thriving catering and hospitality sector ripe with opportunity. Not only are more restaurants than ever opening their doors in the city, but there’s also a ready supply of seasonal and temporary work -- particularly when the Edinburgh Fringe kicks off.
Whilst there are a bunch of opportunities for catering and hospitality working in Edinburgh, inevitably, there’s also a lot of competition for roles. With so many internationally renowned establishments, they only expect the best.
To keep on top of your game, training is key. Thankfully, there are a number of training opportunities across the city.
Edinburgh is a city that is famous worldwide, so it won’t be a huge surprise to learn that some world-famous chefs work in the Scottish capital. This is not just a city for haggis, neeps and tatties. Celebrity chef Tom Kitchin cooks up a storm at The Kitchin, whilst Michelin star chef Martin Wishart serves some of the city’s finest fare at the aptly named Restaurant Martin Wishart.
This city is bursting with creativity in every respect, but especially when it comes to its culinary scene. For catering and hospitality professionals, Edinburgh is one of the best places to live and work in the entire world, let alone the UK.
