SINGAPORE – The Singaporean government has announced a policy change that allows Indian restaurants in the country to hire foreign chefs to help meet demand.
Restaurants in Singapore can now hire chefs from India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka on work permits, addressing ongoing labor shortages, especially during festive seasons like Deepavali.
The Ministry of Manpower introduced this new work permit in September 2023, allowing 400 Indian cuisine restaurants to employ chefs within the first three months of the initiative.
Applications are reviewed by industry experts, including renowned chefs and government agencies like the Indian Heritage Centre, according to Channel News Asia.
Gurcharan Singh, president of the Indian Restaurants Association, noted, “During [festive seasons], we need extra hands due to increased catering orders and specialty items like sweetmeats that aren’t part of our usual menu.”
A number of Indian restaurant operators in Sri Lanka reacted to the policy change via interviews with Food Navigator Asia.
Riverwalk Tandoor, a restaurant on Rangoon Road in the capital, is among the businesses benefiting from this change.
Managing director Sharonjeet Kaur expressed that this initiative is a “dream come true,” explaining that while many may claim culinary expertise, specializing in Indian dishes such as tandoor and curry requires skill.
Kaur said, “Anyone can say, ‘I’m a chef’, but to specialise in tandoor, curry, even frying is a bit difficult because it’s Indian food. It’s not something that any person can just come in and do.”
With three additional cooks hired in the past year, Riverwalk Tandoor has expanded significantly, managing over 40 catering orders per day leading up to Deepavali, compared to around 30 previously. This added capacity also supports their exploration of new fusion dishes inspired by Western and Chinese cuisine.
Gayatri Restaurant’s managing director, S. Mahendran, praised the initiative, saying it has “allowed Indian restaurants to up their game.” He added that the Indian culinary scene has seen remarkable growth over the past year, benefiting many longstanding restaurateurs.
While restaurant owners are grateful for the initiative, some believe that increasing the foreign worker quota—currently capped at 8% of a restaurant’s workforce—would further help meet demand during peak seasons.
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