More than 40 staff are needed for a pair of restaurants opening this summer at a new development in Sunderland.

The recruitment drive is for roles at Ember restaurant and Vito’s Osteria, which will open this year at Sheepfolds Stables - a new, multi-million-pound food, drink, leisure, and entertainment hub next to the Stadium of Light. Positions at the two restaurants will include chefs, front-of-house staff, and supervisors.

“The hospitality industry is absolutely thriving at the moment and the demand for quality staff is so high that many employers are paying well above the minimum wage,” said Melika Cheurfi, Managing Director at recruitment agency Adkins & Cheurfi.

“It’s a really fun, vibrant industry to work in, with lots of exciting and rewarding career pathways and transferable skills that can really take you places.

“We will be hosting a recruitment day for Ember and Vito’s at our offices at the Sunderland BIC on the week commencing July 15 for anyone who is interested, and we can guarantee a first-stage interview - we’re expecting lots of interest."

Sheepfolds Stables is set to become a popular destination for Sunderland and the wider North East region, with an expected 100,000 visitors in its first year.

This latest recruitment campaign follows a successful summer for Adkins & Cheurfi who have been busy supplying staff to hotels, event venues, film sets, stadiums, and racecourses across the North East. They’re also long-term partners with Kielder Waterside in Northumberland, providing bar, restaurant, and event staffing since 2016.

Founded by directors Dean Adkins and Melika Cheurfi in 2015, the Sunderland agency specialises in recruitment for the hospitality industry but recently diversified to include the legal and commercial sectors as well as care and education.

“Since starting our legal and commercial desk, we have seen 20% growth in permanent placements consisting of solicitors, legal secretaries, sales, and finance professionals. It’s another thriving industry,” Melika said.

“We could see there was a huge talent pool of potential recruiters in Sunderland who we could train and become part of the team. Around 90% of our staff are from Sunderland who we have brought in, trained in-house, and put through their REC qualifications. It’s been hugely rewarding.”

Anyone interested in roles being advertised can also submit CVs and details to  Lucy@adkinscheurfi.co.uk