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The
grass is always greener
New Asian Cuisine Scene July/Aug 98
With the downturn of the Asian economy, many cooks and chefs in the region are looking towards the so called "greener pastures". As positions in of many hotels and resorts come under scrutiny as the belts in food, beverage and accommodation operations tighten worldwide, it is only natural that "looking around" becomes high on a cooks priority list. One country on that list of priorities is naturally, " the land of wonder - the land downunder ". Trust me when I say, that Australia is also in a time of downturn. Some hotel occupancies are lower than normal and restaurants throughout the country are feeling the economic pinch. The well known and long established hotels and restaurants throughout will endure but those who have set up over the last decade are really finding it tough.
The bright side is that Australia and in particularly Sydney, is only two years away from the greatest sporting event in the world, the 2000 Olympic Games of the new millennium. Food service will be a major part of this event, as tourists, competing teams and the people of Australia prepare to take part in these games in one manor or another. Over the next two years of build up and then the actual games themselves, business will boom. Over 12,000 athletes and officials will arrive in the early months of that year and the flow-on of this is immeasurable.
The increase in visitors to our shores has already begun, with the growth in tourism being recorded already and many new hotels and relative accommodation facilities opening up all over the city of Sydney, the latest addition to the stable of high quality accommodation available in Sydney is the opening of the new Star City Casino and Hotel in the Darling Harbour area. A multi-storey building housing a Casino floor to rival any in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, showrooms and restaurant concepts with a multitude of styles and food service ambience. I have heard on the grapevine that there is a projected and planned 14 new hotels to open in Sydney, if the pull out of the Peninsula at Circular Quay is any indication to go by, I am optimistic that all will eventuate. Restaurants are opening and closing at a rate too fast to comprehend. A trend towards family orientated venues are becoming very popular though. This is great for now, but as we come out of a recession and more rooms and eateries become available, what of the time post Olympics !
The increase in tourism and the growth to which a city can experience because of such an event, immediately gives many a sense of need and the idea that positions within the food service sector will be plentiful. This is true, but as permits to work downunder are more difficult to obtain, only those with permanent residency for Australia will benefit.
Our lifestyle and climate, as well as the cost of living, make Australia an attractive destination to many a chef and cook who has been parked in the kitchens of Asia and beyond for some years and now looking over the fence for those so called "greener pastures" to settle down in and live out the retirement years.
It is true, great restaurants, good wine and excellent dinner partners create a healthy lifestyle. Something many of us seek in the long term, but is the happiness obtained in a new country or does it come from within !
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