Le Continental Restaurant Risks Losing Four Chefs Amid PEQ Abolition
The cancellation of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) poses significant challenges for Le Continental, a renowned restaurant in Quebec City. The restaurant’s owners are set to lose four skilled foreign chefs over the next year. These chefs possess hard-to-find expertise that is essential for maintaining the restaurant’s unique dining experience.
Impact of PEQ Cancellation on Le Continental
Le Continental has relied on these foreign chefs to offer outstanding service, including table-side flambé dishes such as filet mignon and duck. Co-owner Mathieu Pettigrew expressed concern over the possible consequences of losing these employees, noting the difficulty in ensuring continuity of service.
Staff Shortages and Service Interruptions
The loss of these four chefs may require Pettigrew to make tough decisions, including reducing operating days of the restaurant. He already halted lunch service due to the ongoing labor shortage exacerbated by the pandemic.
Concerns from Affected Chefs
The four chefs, Fateh Askeur, Nicolas Verges Batalla, Andrea Rampinini, and Nabil Boutoudj, each left their home countries for better opportunities in Canada. Their collective uncertainty following the abolition of the PEQ has raised significant concerns about their future in Quebec.
- Nicolas Verges Batalla: Originally from France, he is skilled in preparing dishes like Caesar salad from scratch. He described moving to Canada as fulfilling a lifelong dream.
- Fateh Askeur: An Algerian chef expressing distress over the uncertainty related to their immigration status.
- Andrea Rampinini: From Italy, he hoped to build a better life and is anxious about the changes in immigration policies.
- Nabil Boutoudj: He shares similar fears regarding the future amidst the labor program’s cancellation.
Calls for Government Intervention
Pettigrew believes the Quebec government should reconsider its stance on retaining current foreign workers in light of the impending immigration changes. The rising uncertainty not only affects the chefs but also the broader labor market.
Reactions to Immigration Policy Changes
The discontent surrounding the PEQ’s cancellation is echoed by immigration lawyer Maxime Lapointe, who highlighted the previous successes in temporary worker integration under former immigration minister Jean Boulet. Current Minister Jean-François Roberge has not prioritized maintaining these immigration benefits amid federal restrictions.
The chefs shared their frustrations about feeling unwanted in a new country. As Rampinini noted, the shift in policy might hinder their dreams for a stable future.
The situation at Le Continental is emblematic of a broader crisis in Quebec’s restaurant industry, underscoring the urgent need for a reevaluation of immigration policies to support both workers and employers.
