If you live for dining out and enjoying fancy restaurants then why not try a bit of a career change? That's right, there could be a restaurant inspector inside you waiting to burst out the next Alex Polizzi!
Of course it isn't that plain sailing with Michelin claiming that each of their inspectors, on average, "evaluates 240 restaurants, spends 130 nights in hotels, carries out 800 inspections, writes 1,100 reports and drives 18,000 miles" (The Guardian, January 2008) per year: that's a lot of work and a lot of focus! On the flip side, you could be looking at earnings of 45k plus per annum for your efforts - now that sounds more like it!
So how much time can you expect to work if you are making all these trips and evaluations etc? Well, having spoken to a number of inspectors, typical working days tend to start as early as 7am (the breakfast run) and end as late as 11pm (last orders), so you must have some stamina about you. And it's not all glitz and glam either, many of the places you visit won't be 5* venues offering luxurious rooms and delicious foods, a lot will be run down, shabby and in need of an honest tongue.
You also need to possess a certain level of personal skills; such as, clear and focussed management competence, a discerning palate and the ability to recognise great service when you see it, not forgetting to mention patience in abundance. In terms of qualifications, most inspectors tend to be hotel school graduates with at least five years experience firsthand within the hotel/restaurant industry, with some of that time spent in managerial roles. Don't be fooled - this doesn't all happen overnight - Michelin actually state that their average inspector is more of the mature kind and tends to be at least 40 years of age.
London would be a great place to work as a hotel/restaurant inspector with all the hotels, guest houses and eateries. In fact, The Big Smoke has the second highest amount of Michelin Star restaurants in the world, along with many AA Rosettes and other accolades. With some of the best venues in the business, Home House, Le Gavroche, Chez Bruce, Barrafine and La Trompette for example, inspecting in London really could be a dream come true.
Of course it isn't that plain sailing with Michelin claiming that each of their inspectors, on average, "evaluates 240 restaurants, spends 130 nights in hotels, carries out 800 inspections, writes 1,100 reports and drives 18,000 miles" (The Guardian, January 2008) per year: that's a lot of work and a lot of focus! On the flip side, you could be looking at earnings of 45k plus per annum for your efforts - now that sounds more like it!
So how much time can you expect to work if you are making all these trips and evaluations etc? Well, having spoken to a number of inspectors, typical working days tend to start as early as 7am (the breakfast run) and end as late as 11pm (last orders), so you must have some stamina about you. And it's not all glitz and glam either, many of the places you visit won't be 5* venues offering luxurious rooms and delicious foods, a lot will be run down, shabby and in need of an honest tongue.
You also need to possess a certain level of personal skills; such as, clear and focussed management competence, a discerning palate and the ability to recognise great service when you see it, not forgetting to mention patience in abundance. In terms of qualifications, most inspectors tend to be hotel school graduates with at least five years experience firsthand within the hotel/restaurant industry, with some of that time spent in managerial roles. Don't be fooled - this doesn't all happen overnight - Michelin actually state that their average inspector is more of the mature kind and tends to be at least 40 years of age.
London would be a great place to work as a hotel/restaurant inspector with all the hotels, guest houses and eateries. In fact, The Big Smoke has the second highest amount of Michelin Star restaurants in the world, along with many AA Rosettes and other accolades. With some of the best venues in the business, Home House, Le Gavroche, Chez Bruce, Barrafine and La Trompette for example, inspecting in London really could be a dream come true.
About the Author:
As well as its place among the restaurants in London, Home House is a members only clubs with a difference. Located in central London, away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street, Home House offers members only events for people from all walks of life.
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