UP TO 50 former Masterchefs staff are expected to hold a meeting today to decide on future action regarding employment with two companies that have taken over the catering contract at Punchestown Racecourse.

The staff, including bar and catering staff, porters and waiters, fear they may lose their jobs because of the change in contracting arrangements at Punchestown.

The staff maintain that the companies, Dobbins, which has taken over the food contract, and Madigans, which has taken over the bar contract, are obligated to take on the former Masterchefs staff under transfer of undertakings regulations.

Some of the permanent casual employees have a service history of more than 30 years with the company, having originally worked for Peter O’Brien Catering.

Today’s meeting follows an unofficial protest by the staff at the racecourse on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Former Masterchefs staff members were among those who attended a meeting of creditors of the company at the Harcourt Hotel in Dublin yesterday.

According to a statement of affairs circulated at the meeting, Masterchefs owes almost €146,000 to employees.

The total value of the company’s deficit as regards unsecured creditors is more than €1.2 million.

Liquidator KPMG is owed €56,000, while €7,620 is owed to a super-preferential creditor, understood to be the Revenue Commissioners.

The company has realisable assets of €67,000.

The company voluntarily sought to go into examinership in late 2008 following the loss of a key contract which left it with short-term cash-flow difficulties.