A Victoria restaurant is closing its doors for awhile because it can't find any cooks. Sam Chalmers co-owns North 48 at Langley Street and Broughton in downtown Victoria. He says they started the summer with 5 line cooks, for a 4-person line. But 3 of those have had to leave Victoria for various reasons and Chalmers says he's been unable to find replacements
Chalmers says his restaurant cooks from scratch so there is a certain skill level required, and because they are a small independent restaurant they can't offer the top level wages of some restaurants. But he says the real issue is there is an astonishing shortage of cooks in Victoria.
He says as such, North 48 is closing its doors for at least 30 days after July 29th. He asks anyone with North 48 certificates to use them in the next week.