We need 'curry schools' in the UK

16th March 2009, 12:46pm

The British Indian restaurant industry has said that the UK needs dedicated curry catering colleges in order for the ethnic restaurant sector to survive.

Sunday's edition of The Observer told how more help is needed for the UK based restaurants that are struggling to recruit from abroad due to the introduction of the points based system.

Estimations show that an additional 30,000 members of staff are needed to keep the ethnic restaurant scene afloat.

Sheikh Aklaq Ahmed, from the Bangladesh Caterers' Association told the newspaper that the requirement for more qualifications is taking its toll: "Our chefs have cooking skills – just not recognisable, portable qualifications. If we are not allowed to bring people from outside, then what we are saying is help us train people locally."

Anne Main, a conservative MP is backing the foreign caterers and their call for a curry school: "They see it as the saving of the industry. It's no good sending unemployed people to a top curry restaurant and expecting them to be able to understand spices and blending and cooking."

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has announced that it is hosting an ethnic chef summit next month, which aims to focus on these issues and brainstorm ideas to help them boost employment figures.

Related Articles:

• 22 Oct 2010 - ASIAN AND ORIENTAL RESTAURANTS CAN TACKLE IMMIGRATION CAP WITH NEW APPRENTICESHIPS
• 26 May 2009 - The British curry club has arrived
• 30 Apr 2009 - Criteria for foreign chefs changes
• 06 Apr 2009 - 'Ethnic catering industry is an asset' say ministers
• 05 Dec 2008 - How to recruit from outside the European Economic Area
• 16 Oct 2008 - Overseas staff licence warning
• 11 Sep 2008 - Skilled chefs on UK shortage list welcomed
• 21 Apr 2008 - Thousands of restaurant workers take to the streets
• 17 Mar 2008 - Curry chefs protest outside Scottish parliament
• 29 Feb 2008 - Huge fines for employing illegal workers take affect

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