Catering and hospitality 'popular celebrity sidelines'

04/01/2008 14:37:51

The catering and hospitality sector is the most popular industry for celebrities to take up as a second career, a new study by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has revealed.

Although many simply provide cash to help a business get off the ground, some stars are opting to get hands on, with former EastEnders actor Sid Owen becoming a restaurant manager after purchasing a property in France.

Many other stars have created hospitality jobs by opening their own entertainment venues, with rapper Jay-Z recently opening the fifth outpost of his successful bar-restaurant chain, the 40/40 Club, in Las Vegas.

Even exclusive London restaurant Nobu has a celebrity connection, with Robert De Niro one of the principal backers of the venue.

It further underlines the vibrancy of the hospitality sector, with north-east regional director of the LSC, Chris Roberts, commenting that people should consider building up their skills in order to increase their chances of building a glittering career in the field.

"There has never been a better time to learn new, or build on existing, skills in this country and you may be eligible for free learning," he added.

Restaurant jobs around the world

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