An upmarket winery looking for a new chef has not had a single job applicant in six months.
Troy Spencer, head chef at the picturesque TarraWarra Estate winery in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, said the ‘dire’ situation has forced them to look overseas for workers.
Although the winery would prefer to hire locally and find the process of hiring a chef from abroad difficult, they have been unable to fill the position.
An upmarket winery (pictured) looking for a new chef has not had a single job applicant in six months
Troy Spencer, head chef at the picturesque TarraWarra Estate winery (pictured) in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, said the ‘dire’ situation has forced them to look overseas for workers
‘We’ve been advertising since January to June of this year and we did not get a single applicant,’ Mr Spencer told Neil Mitchell on 3AW.
The winery offered a high salary and is only a hour’s drive from Melbourne’s city centre, Mr Spencer said.
‘It’s not the distance, it’s there’s a shortage. Unfortunately government are not making it any easier to get chefs into the trade,’ he said.
Desperate for good kitchen employees, Mr Spencer is now trying to hire a sous chef from Singapore, but faces a new set of challenges.
Although the winery would prefer to hire locally and find the process of hiring a chef from abroad difficult, they have been unable to fill the position (pictured are meals served at the winery)
The winery (pictured) offered a high salary and is only a hour’s drive from Melbourne’s city centre
He said the government makes it harder than it should be to hire workers on 457 visas, and try to put people off during the difficult process.
As hard as it is, and despite preferring to hire locally, Mr Spencer says he has no other option.
‘If people don’t want to work, the jobs are here, I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t know what to do,’ he said.
Daily Mail Australia contacted TarraWarra Estate for comment.
Desperate for good kitchen employees, Mr Spencer is now trying to hire a sous chef from Singapore, but faces a new set of challenges (pictured are desserts served at the winery)