Four hundred Indian cuisine restaurants availed of work permits in the first three months after applications were accepted in September last year.
Indian restaurants in Singapore have welcomed the government’s move to allow them to employ chefs from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on work permits. According to a report by Channel News Asia on Tuesday, it is not easy for many Indian restaurants in Singapore to get cooks and festive periods like Diwali put more pressure on them. It has become a little easier for these eateries after the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) allowed them to hire cooks from the three South Asian countries.
Four hundred Indian cuisine restaurants secured work permits in the first three months after applications were accepted in September last year, the channel quoted the ministry as saying. Gurcharan Singh, president of the Indian Restaurant Association, said, “During the (festive season), we need a lot of hands because of the catering (orders), because there are also some special things that are made like sweets which are our favourites.” Not on the regular menu.”
Restaurant applications are evaluated by industry stakeholders such as renowned chefs. Government agencies including the Indian Heritage Center are also involved. Businesses that have benefited include Riverwalk Tandoor on Rangoon Road. Its managing director Sharonjit Kaur even said that the move was a “dream come true” amid the challenges the restaurant was facing in hiring chefs. The channel quoted Kaur as saying, “Anybody can say, ‘I’m a chef’, but gaining expertise in tandoor, curry, even frying is a bit difficult because it’s Indian food. It’s not something like that.” It’s not something anyone can come and do.” That being said.
The restaurant was able to hire three more chefs in the past year. With a small change in manpower, the restaurant was able to take over 40 catering orders per day ahead of Diwali last week, whereas earlier it was around 30. Kaur said the restaurant is also exploring new types of dishes, taking inspiration from Western and Chinese cuisine. He said, “Currently in India, Indian fusion is trending everywhere, so… we started working on it, new ideas, new chefs. When they come, they come with their own cooking style. Come. So that’s really how we proceed.” Said.
“The move has allowed Indian restaurants to raise their game,” said S Mahendran, managing director of Gayatri Restaurants. He said, “Within this one year, I think we have seen tremendous changes in the Indian culinary sector. I speak for my restaurants and my fellow restaurant owners who have been in this industry for a long time.” While restaurants expressed gratitude for being able to hire more chefs, they said higher quotas for such foreign workers would help meet demand even more. At present, the limit for such workers is 8 per cent of its total workforce.
“You need a total of 12 local workers to have an overseas Indian chef in your kitchen,” Mahendran said, adding that he hoped the proportion of work permits would increase. Apart from the quota, Riverwalk Tandoor also hopes to hire employment pass (EP) holders for renewal. The restaurant employs 11 EP holders who have been with the company for more than 10 years, Kaur said. “The EPs (holders) we have right now, I believe should be extended or given a chance, because that is how we survive,” he said.
Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
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