Repositioning a chef recruitment agency without Losing trust : Awol Recruitment
This rebranding case study explores how The Brand Chap supported AWOL Recruitment through a careful brand repositioning, ensuring the business could evolve visually and strategically without losing the reputation and relationships it had already earned.
Outcomes at a glance
Clear alignment between brand appearance and actual service quality
Stronger confidence from both venues and chefs engaging with the business
A more professional, credible presence without becoming corporate or cold
Improved perception of AWOL as a “safe pair of hands” in high-pressure situations
Project Overview
Client:
AWOL Recruitment
Sector:
Hospitality recruitment
Primary service:
Rebranding / Brand repositioning
Supporting services:
Website, SEO
Engagement type:
Brand refresh with ongoing support
Timeframe:
1 month initial phase,
followed by multi-year ongoing work
The Situation
AWOL Recruitment is a specialist chef agency supplying experienced chefs to venues across the Lake District and beyond. Their reputation was strong: reliable chefs, fair treatment, and the ability to step into high-pressure situations without making things worse.
However, the brand itself had not kept pace. The visual identity and styling felt dated, subtly signalling “old-school” at a time when venues and chefs alike were becoming more selective about who they trusted.
There was no crisis, just a growing mismatch between how good the service actually was and how it appeared from the outside.
The Challenge
Rebranding an established recruitment business is always risky.
Too conservative, and nothing really changes. Too aggressive, and you erode trust that’s taken years to build.
The challenge here wasn’t fixing something broken, it was leaping forward without breaking alignment. AWOL also had a structural complexity many agencies overlook: two audiences with different needs, pressures, and expectations.
Venues needing fast, competent relief without drama
Chefs trusting AWOL to protect their interests and place them well
Getting the tone wrong for either side would weaken the whole system.
Our Approach
We framed this as a repositioning exercise, not a cosmetic refresh.
The guiding principle was simple:
The brand should finally look as competent, fair, and “on-it” as the team actually is.
Rather than defaulting to typical recruitment aesthetics, we leaned into the lived reality of kitchens, professional, intense, human, and fast-moving. The brand needed to feel approachable and friendly, but unmistakably capable.
Crucially, we did not brand AWOL as a generic recruitment agency. Instead, the positioning focused on organisation, fairness, and trust, more like a high-functioning coordinator than a commission-driven middleman.
This allowed both audiences to feel seen without either side feeling sidelined.
The Outcome
Post-launch feedback was immediate and telling.
Venues and chefs alike described AWOL as feeling more professional, more credible, and more “together.” The refreshed brand subtly raised behavioural standards on both sides — chefs took pride in being associated with AWOL, and venues approached the relationship with greater respect.
Most importantly, the brand now matches the reality of the business. What people expect when they encounter AWOL aligns with what they actually experience.
That alignment creates ease, confidence, and momentum — without needing hype.
Services Involved
Website
SEO
What next?
If you’re facing a similar rebranding or repositioning challenge, we’re happy to talk it through.
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