‘Like Hen’s Teeth’: Maryborough Business Advertising Chef Position For Almost Half a Year

 

The Maryborough Highland Society says they’ve been so short staffed through summer that they allowed patrons to bring in food from other local restaurants.

 

General manager Malcolm Blandthorn said they’ve been advertising a chef position for almost 6 months. 

 

“Everybody is saying: ‘If you’ve got a good chef hold onto them because they’relike hen’s teeth at the moment’,” he said. 

 

He added that many chefs are moving to other industries where the “pressures aren’t as high”.  

 

In 2021, the federal government changed requirements to the working holiday visa, meaning the 3 months of obligatory work must be in remote or very remote parts of the country. 

 

Mr Blandthorn said these changes have left businesses in bigger regional towns with less avenues to find workers. 

 

“Over the past 12 months, we’ve actually put on three new apprentices to try to build up a little bit more, locally.” 

 

Image: Maryborough Highland Society Facebook.