The Editor's Hospitality Blog

As stress levels in commercial kitchens rise in the run-up to Christmas, head chefs wanting to release pressure in their brigades might wish to take inspiration from staff at HM Revenue & Customs.

Apparently, morale is so low at HMR&C, that employees are demanding punchbags, squeeze balls and aromatherapy to help them relieve work-related tension.

One posting on Disgruntled Lemmings, a discussion web site run by tax staff, have called for stress balls, "a cheap idea, these could be placed on every desk within easy reach for people to squeeze away the tension after dealing with an awkward caller or a difficult piece of post." Another suggests that "a punchbag could be kept in a staff room/chillout area for those on breaks to take out their frustrations on." And a third asks tax bosses to consider offering "discounts for stress-relieving therapies such as Indian head massage, aromatherapy and reflexology".

Could such techniques be applied to the kitchen? Aromatherapy is probably out: the delicate aromas of lavender and patchouli might be lost amid the smell of the stockpot. But a meat carcass hanging in the cold room could double as a punchbag; and balls of dough would work nicely as stress balls.

On the other hand, other, bosses might opt for more practical ways of keeping staff happy and motivated.

I'm off on holiday for a week, safe in the knowledge that last Friday's judging of Caterer and Hotelkeeper's Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2007 was a resounding success.

Once again, we've managed to identify the hotel, restaurant and leisure companies doing the most to ensure good practice in the recruitment, training, retaining and motivating of their employees. Last year's winners included McDonald's Restaurants, whose commitment to providing a positive working environment led them to start a campaign to get the word "Mcjob" (definition: a low-paying, low-prestige job) taken out of dictionaries. As of last week, the fast-food giant's campaign petition had attracted over 100,000 signatures. Good on them for taking steps to challenge prejudices and boost the self-esteem of their workforce.

I could tell you who our Best Places winners are, but then I'd have to kill you, so you'll just have to wait until we announce them at a ceremony during next year's Hotelympia.

See you in a week, when there'll be plenty to tell you about the announcement of the 2007 Hotelier of the Year.

A few months ago I posted a story about a kitchen porter at Gordon Ramsay's flagship restaurant in Chelsea who claimed he had been a victim of racial harassment and religious victimisation.

The story set me thinking about how you can ensure healthy banter doesn's get out of hand in the commercial kitchen. Check out this response to the posting from a chef, who thinks there is still a place for a good bollocking in the kitchen from time to time:

The head chef's job is to make sure all foods go out the kitchen to his standard not his underlings'. If this does not happen the chef loses his rag - is this not acceptable?

Do you agree or disagree? let us know.

Congratulations to the team of young chefs from North Devon College, which last Friday won the 2009 Nestlé Toque d'Or awards.

Event organisers celebrated the competition's 21st anniversary in true style with a lavish bash at the O2 Arena attended by industry movers and shakers as well as by parents and friends of members of the five college teams that had reached the grand final.

Over the years, some 5000 students have entered the Toque d'Or competition, in which teams create a restaurant concept, set up their themed restaurant at a live event and serve a three-course lunch to 100 paying guests.

This year's event, which was again hosted by TV presenter, Mark Durdon-Smith, featured a Dragon's Den-style line-up of judges quizzing finalists onstage about burnt tuiles, early mornings and menus delivered by a rapper. Under cross-examination, one team told judges how it had had a problem with fish that took too long to defrost. "We're not used to such good fridges", one team-member admitted.

Meanwhile, the maitr' d of another team paid tribute to her fellow team-members for coping after she got sick and had to drop out of service. "Was that after tasting your own meal?" asked the ever-cheeky Durdon-Smith.

As the team from North Devon College celebrated wildly, Durdon-Smith asked one of them which of their prizes they were more excited by: VIP tickets to see Beyonce at the O2, or a stage in Anton Mosimann's kitchens. "His kitchen", she said shyly, pointing at the bow-tied maestro who had handed her the trophy only a moment before. Correct answer.