The popularity of curry has led to it being dubbed Scotland's other national dish: but now a leading chef has warned strict UK immigration rules are posing a “serious risk” to the future of hundreds of Indian restaurants north of the border.
Matin Khan, who was voted Scotland’s Curry Chef of the Year in 2014, said it was increasingly difficult to find skilled staff to work in establishments and the crisis is so serious that many Bangladeshi and Indian restaurants will be forced to close within the next few years.
He has now calling for Holyrood to be given its own immigration quota for the ethnic restaurant sector, which he said could take the form of a 10-year work permit.
UK immigration rules mean staff coming to work here from outside the EU must earn at least £29,750 a year – at least £5,000 more than the UK average for a head chef. These workers also cannot work in any restaurant that serves takeaway food – ruling out many establishments which offer take-home meals.
Khan, who runs three restaurants in Midlothian including Itihaas in Dalkeith, said: “It is very difficult to find staff now to work in my restaurants. We do need new blood to come into this trade – it is a job which is really specialised and takes a lot of time and patience to learn. Every time one of us retires, that is another person gone.”
He added: “Unless action is taken soon I fear we will witness the sad disappearance of the majority of Scotland’s Bangladeshi and Indian restaurants because they don’t have enough staff to provide a good enough service.”
It is estimated Bangladeshis run around 80-90% of Indian restaurants in the UK. Khan said one major issue was the difficulty in attracting new recruits from within Scotland - including the children of the first generation of owners and chefs - who are prepared to work long hours and master the art of cooking the cuisine.
“Restaurant managers, waiters and other front-of-house staff need a huge amount of knowledge about the food and the way it is served,” he said.
“Overwhelmingly, local staff do not possess this knowledge and are not prepared to work the unsociable hours involved.
"Staff from elsewhere in the EU only tend to stay in the UK for a year or even less."
In his letter to UK immigration minister James Brokenshire, he said: "I appeal to the UK Government to take action to avoid the risk of closure of the majority of Bangladeshi and Indian restaurants. In my view this will happen within the next few years unless more qualified chefs and staff are allowed to work in this country."
It added: "Scotland should have its own immigration quota...One consideration could be that staff from the Indian sub-continent are given 10 years permits to work in the UK but not given welfare benefits during this period."
Sunday Herald restaurant critic and investigative food journalist Joanna Blythman backed his concerns, saying good restaurants required a regular infusion of energy and skills from the "mother country" to maintain their standards.
She added: “Indian subcontinental food is one of the most massively complex, interesting, highly sophisticated types of cuisine on the planet and there are all sorts of cooking traditions.
“Anyone who thinks they are worried about immigration needs to understand the very tangible benefits that people from other countries bring to our gastronomic traditions.
“For many Scottish people, Indian food is probably their favourite type of eating out and you have to link the two things up. If you want to eat good, reasonably authentic, well-made, competently cooked food when you eat out, that means there has to be people allowed into this country who can cook it.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The UK Government’s current immigration rules are adversely affecting Scotland’s businesses and education sector. We are aware of the difficulties faced by Scotland’s speciality restaurants in recruiting chefs.
"Immigration policy is reserved to UK Government, however, the Scottish Government continues to urge the UK Government to take into account Scotland’s differing immigration needs.”
A Home Office spokesman said: "We continue to welcome the very top chefs who will promote innovative and authentic cuisine here in the UK and such skilled chefs are on the shortage occupation list.
"But we also want to nurture much more home-grown talent, and encourage young people in this country who want to pursue a skilled career. This means the restaurant sector offering training to attract and recruit resident workers to meet their staffing needs.”
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