Rick Stein: "Think restaurants are a way to print money? You try it!"
The chef spoke with Graeme Green about Masterchef, the “Padstein” criticism, and the upcoming Christmas season.
Childhood Memories
Among all the Christmas presents Rick Stein received as a child, one stood out as his 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, going round and round the sitting room. I loved it.” Those were simpler times.
Current Challenges for Hospitality
Now, seven decades later, Stein hopes for a more practical gift this year — not from Santa but from Keir Starmer. “A moratorium on VAT would be good,” he says, referring to the support the struggling hospitality industry needs.
“80,000 jobs have been lost in hospitality this year. Things aren’t going well in our particular part of the industry.”
He tries to stay reasonable and recognizes that government revenue is necessary. “The government likely aims to boost tax income through growth, but raising National Insurance has halted growth. Faced with rising taxes, businesses cut back on labor and hesitate to hire unless essential.”
Stein acknowledges the country’s difficult situation but criticizes policies that burden vulnerable sectors. “It feels like a complete ‘home goal’ to target parts of the economy that aren’t well-equipped to cope. Hospitality is often seen as a second-rate contributor to national wealth, yet tourism and hospitality are vital.”
Author's summary: Rick Stein highlights the severe impact of current taxes on hospitality jobs and urges fairer support for tourism, underlining its key role in the national economy.
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