Flashermac Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Bangkok Post Walentine Day Israel will kick out every Asian restaurant worker by the end of the year. "We feel an Israeli can hold a wok as well as a Thai or a Chinese person," says a Trade Ministry official in charge of work permits. According to an Associated Press story from Jerusalem, the Israeli government will send foreign restaurant workers packing by next January. Industry leaders warn they won't be able to provide the food Israelis want and their business will be hurt. Or, as the AP dispatch puts it: "Israel's sushi craze could be in for trouble." Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Indian restaurants have grown into a $280 million-a-year business, accounting for 10 percent of the local dining landscape, according to the Israeli Ethnic Restaurant Association. Asian restaurants employ 900 foreign-born chefs and kitchen workers. But now the Trade Ministry says Israelis should do those jobs. The statement by Shoshana Strauss, a lawyer at the Trade Ministry, which regulates work permits for foreign workers, is worth repeating: "We feel an Israeli can hold a wok as well as a Thai or a Chinese person." In the minds of Thai chefs, at least, "hold" might be the operative word. "If we don't have cooks, we don't have food. If we don't have food, we don't have customers," said Steven Lobel, who owns two Asian restaurants employing 14 Asian kitchen workers in the Tel Aviv area. No kidding. But beginning next year, there will be no work visas for foreigners in the business, only tourist visas permitting brief consulting opportunities for experts in Asian cuisine, the Trade Ministry says. The ministry has begun offering Asian cooking classes to Israelis, but few have shown interest, generating skepticism enough Israelis will step forward to fill the void. "I doubt this will succeed," said Arnon Volosky, chief executive of the Ethnic Restaurant Association. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 bit harsh. imagine the uproar if germany wanted to boot out all jews in germany working there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Does the word "discrimination" spring to mind? I thought we fought a world war to get rid of this kind of thing? yechh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 The ministry has begun offering Asian cooking classes to Israelis, but few have shown interest, generating skepticism enough Israelis will step forward to fill the void. "I doubt this will succeed," said Arnon Volosky, chief executive of the Ethnic Restaurant Association. Scare tactics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayjann Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 there is a different situation in the UK. someone was talking the other Night about how the Indian community wanted more of them to emigrate to the UK as there was a shortage of ethnic cooks in the Indian restaurants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Hoy Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Does the word "discrimination" spring to mind? I thought we fought a world war to get rid of this kind of thing? yechh! It does every time somebody posts the extensive list of jobs in Thailand that can not be taken by foreigners. So, it's discrimation agains foreigners across the board in a certain industry segment. Wish we would do that here in the U.S. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 bit harsh. imagine the uproar if germany wanted to boot out all jews in germany working there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carew66 Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 bit harsh. imagine the uproar if germany wanted to boot out all jews in germany working there. Very dry, Phil, very dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 We are after any skilled labor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzzz Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Bangkok PostWalentine Day Israel ...Or, as the AP dispatch puts it: "Israel's sushi craze could be in for trouble." It takes years of training in Japan to be a sushi chef/master. They should hang on to them as a group with a very specialized training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.