A pizzeria, in Quartu Sant'Elena , has found itself short of pizza chefs and has announced that it will not be able to open (except on weekends) until it finds it. Raising a problem now common to many businesses, not just catering and hospitality: on the one hand, in times of greatest crisis, the black flag of lack of work is waved. But when there is work, there is often no personnel, especially if specialized.
The episode in question happened at the Gallo d'Oro, a franchise of a well-known Cagliari restaurant, and the communication comes from social networks. Almost a cry of alarm. «Actually, the pizzeria will open at least on the weekend», says the owner, Francesca Corona: «The partner with whom I manage the place is a pizza maker, but has decided to change her profession. Until we find a replacement, due to training commitments, you will only be able to help out on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Thus, not finding available staff, waiting to find a new pizza chef, the restaurant will not be able to open on other days ».
A pizza chef earns an average of 1,400-1,600 euros a month. «But he can also get to receive a salary of over two thousand euros: it depends on the venue, experience, productivity and, perhaps, bonuses», continues Corona. «We offer Neapolitan pizza: you have to be a little more specialized than the average. Specific skills are needed. Data in hand, through some job search sites, I sent 150 emails to pizza chefs who proposed themselves and I found five: three refused and two await an answer. When the pizza maker arrives, I hope he has the skills: if he doesn't have them, he will be trained. In the meantime, we will continue to open only on weekends».
The problem is general: "It often happens that a pizza maker, perhaps on trial, shows up on the first day and then disappears into thin air" , says Gianmaria Cherchi Rafaeli, owner of the Gallo d'Oro brand. «Now there are many activities and we are talking about hard work. Finding specialized personnel, whoever is in our sector knows it, is increasingly difficult».
