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Chef Sean Brock has launched a website Sidegig, to help with restaurant staff shortages.
Fresh from his sabbatical after suffering from overwork, Sean Brock is back and firing on all cylinders. Teaming up with chef Ben Ellsworth, he has a new project that has been in beta for months and is now rolled out and ready for sign-ups.
The website allows chefs to create a profile where they can set their skills, experience and preferred working hours and when restaurants need extra help they can post a gig and the website matches with potential workers. Chefs will get an alert when the gig is open and they can choose to apply. Sidegig will take care of the taxman and insurance.
Ellsworth says he came up with the idea when his pot washer no-showed. He would normally call on a friend to step in and pay him for the shift. That day he received an Airbnb booking; “I wish that guy had booked a shift to wash these dishes instead,” he says, and the chef put two and two together and came up with Sidegig.
Brock is currently living and working in Nashville where he is building several new restaurants but is still rooted in the Charleston culinary scene where Sidegig has launched. Brock is passionate about changing the restaurant industry for workers, to facilitate better work-life balance and this new project is in line with his philosophy.
The website has big plans and is looking to expand throughout the United States.
