Chef shortage hits Northampton

29/01/2008 13:27:27

Curry restaurants in Northampton are finding it difficult to recruit chefs skilled in Indian cookery, according to reports.

Brits have long been big fans of Indian food but Councillor Sadik Chaudhury told the Northampton Chronicle & Echo that restaurants in the town could not find enough people to fill chef roles, estimating that more than ten per cent of venues were being hit by the staff shortage.

New immigration laws, which make it harder for people from non-EU countries to work in the UK are said to be one of the factors contributing to the problem.

Tipu Rahman, owner of Tamarind Restaurant, explained that the situation had become so serious, that he "often" has to work in the kitchen himself "because we don't have good quality chefs around".

"Every year new restaurants are opening in Northampton and our sector has to recruit several hundred new staff to work in our kitchens."

Earlier this month, Enam Ali, the founder of the British Curry Awards, highlighted the growing problems restaurants are facing when it comes to chef recruitment, explaining that the industry "has to recruit several thousand new staff" every year.

Restaurant jobs in Northampton

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