(Photo by Christina Estes - KJZZ)

Reina Alanis (left) and Lucia Martinez prepare vegetables and onion rings for the lunch rush at Chicago Hamburger Company in Phoenix.

Chef Justin Beckett owns two Phoenix restaurants — the Southern Rail and Beckett’s Table.

“Right now, I think it’s tougher than ever," he said. "You’re not only fighting for the guests dollars, but also fighting for the cooks' time and energy and the servers' time and energy that want to be in this kind of restaurant” 

Beckett says finding more than 100 people to fill 20 shifts every week can require creative scheduling and constant networking. 

“I think you have to talk to the people that you really appreciate and really like and say, ‘Who are you friends? Who do you hang out with? Who are cooks that you’ve cooked with in the past?" he said.

The National Restaurant Association says sales at Arizona restaurants are projected to grow more than six percent this year, putting us in the top five states in the country.

Restaurant and food service jobs make up 12 percent of employment in Arizona and by 2026, it is projected to grow by 18.9 percent.

But, there's a backside to all this growth. Turnover in the hospitality sector topped a whopping 70 percent last year, the highest level since the Great Recession.

Just a block away at the Chicago Hamburger Company owner Bob Pappanduros has heard all the hiring horror stories. He says a nearby pizza place had to delay its opening because they couldn’t find workers, but it’s not a problem for him. 

“I have eight employees," he said. "My most recent hire was eight years ago.” 

Back in the kitchen, Reina Alanis chops vegetables while Lucia Martinez bags onion rings. They’ve worked for Pappanduros for nearly 20 years. They say their schedules work for their families. Plus, they like their boss.

“We got kids, he knows we have to take care of that first, he understands that," Martinez said. 

Experts say the high turnover can be partly attributed to seasonal hiring and a lot of teenagers taking first jobs. But Pappanduros also thinks some businesses are fine with it, especially fast food restaurants.

"When you get to those places, now you have investors and corporate office and things like that, that have to get money to them. And you know, here’s how many dollars you can spend on labor and can’t afford to be giving people raises year after year after year because now you’re over the wage scale that our business model is based on and how we want to see profits coming in is based on," he said.

While Beckett admits finding the right people will continue to challenge the industry, he also sees it as a plus for Arizona’s culinary reputation. 

“We have a lot to offer and we have a ton of great chefs and a ton of great restaurateurs here in town and they’re taking that leap, they’re opening up independent restaurants," he said. "And, I think we’re catching up if not surpassing other towns and other states."

More About Arizona Restaurant Week

PART II: Arizona Sees Big Increase In Women, Minority-Owned Restaurants

PART III: Arizona Restaurants Respond To Diner Demands For Diversity

PART IV: A Side Of Tech With Your Meal? Arizona Restaurants Serving Up More Tabletop Technology For Easy, Custom Ordering