Role of formal hospitality training on job performance of executive chefs in classified hotels in Mombasa County, Kenya
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Date
2018
Authors
Opondo, Fredrick Ochieng
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Provision of food and beverage services to hotel guests complements accommodation for
resident guests in hotels. Hospitality investors assume that a chef can easily be developed
from the kitchen through apprentice and made to steer the kitchen operations to greater
heights without necessarily undergoing formal training. With the fast changing culinary
needs, chefs have become an integral component in determining the overall meal
experience of guests and the achievement of kitchen operations. Chefs are on constantly
on high demand whenever their performance transforms into successful food preparation
and ultimate increased profits. The study sought to provide deeper understanding on the
role of formal industry training to job performance of chefs in classified hotels in
Mombasa County, Kenya. This study sought to determine the perception of executive
chefs on formal hospitality training on job performance; assess their competencies;
establish how work experience alone influence job performance, and investigate whether
hospitality formal training is a thing to consideration during the recruitment. This study
adopted a cross sectional research design. Primary data was collected by use of semistructured
questionnaires that was administered by the researcher. Interviews were
conducted on the food and beverage managers or human resource managers. The study
utilized purposive technique to target the chefs in the 43 classified hotels in Mombasa.
Descriptive analysis was utilized to analyze the items on the likert scale with 5 points on
the thematic areas that were identified. Frequencies were used to analyze demographic
data of the respondents. All the significant tests for hypotheses yielded confidence level
of (P<0.5) with simple correlation and linear regression analysis. One way ANOVA were
used in testing the hypotheses. The study revealed that 68.4 % of chefs considered formal
hospitality training to significantly influence a chef’s job performance. There was a
statistically significant relationship between formally trained head chefs and their
competency. Training determined competencies of chefs by equipping them with the
necessary knowledge, sharpened skills and improved abilities. Work experience was
found not to significantly relate to performance of chefs as the probability significance
values were way above the conventional cut-off point of 0.05. Future research needs to
investigate more into why women are not keen in taking executive chefs position in
hotels in Mombasa as only 5.3% represented female chefs. Further study would be
recommended to establish why work experience which is greatly considered to influence
performance has no significant relationship with job performance of chefs from this
study.
Description
A Research Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism in the School of Hospitality and Tourism of Kenyatta University. 2018