'Well done ScoMo': Colin Fassnidge blasts the PM for telling his foreign chefs to 'go home' during pandemic - and reveals why he won't open up his Sydney restaurants this week
- Colin Fassnidge has blamed the PM for his foreign workers flying back home
- Scott Morrison previously told certain visa holders to 'make your way home'
- Unemployed hospitality workers from overseas are ineligible for JobKeeper
- Staff have flown back to Italy, England and Ireland, where the situation is worse
- While his restaurants are shut, Mr Fassnidge gives free food to those struggling
My Kitchen Rules chef Colin Fassnidge has slammed Prime Minister Scott Morrison for forcing his foreign chefs to fly home.
Mr Fassnidge, who owns Sydney restaurants Banksia Bistro and 4fourteen, blamed Mr Morrison for his foreign chefs and wait staff going back to their home countries.
'A lot of our staff went back to Ireland and Italy because as our mate ScoMo said "Just go". Well done ScoMo! "Just go back to where you came from",' Mr Fassnidge said during an appearance on The Morning Show on Thursday.
The prime minister previously told people on student and working holiday visas to 'make your way home' in April, granting exceptions for healthcare workers and fruit pickers.
Colin Fassnidge (pictured) who owns Sydney restaurants Banksia Bistro and 4fourteen, blamed Mr Morrison for his primarily Irish and Italian workers going back to their home countries during an appearance on The Morning Show on Thursday
While Mr Morrison did not directly tell international hospitality workers to go home, government policies do little to encourage them to stay.
Many foreign chefs on various visas have lost their jobs at restaurants, which are out of business due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
But they since they are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, they are ineligible for JobKeeper or JobSeeker funding, which has forced many people to fly back to their home countries.
Share this article
'Businesswise, we had to let everyone go. It was pretty sad. The JobKeeper helped but there was a lot of staff who couldn't get JobKeeper,' Mr Fassnidge explained.
'A lot went back to Ireland, who we hired, and England. It's actually worse over there. Some of the guys found jobs in bakeries that are still going.
The celebrity chef explained it will be a 'long, long recovery' for his two restaurants and the hospitality industry as a whole.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) previously told people on student and working holiday visas to 'make your way home' in April, granting exceptions for healthcare workers and fruit pickers
In New South Wales on Friday, cafés, restaurants and pubs will be permitted to open to 10 people but Mr Fassnidge said it will not be viable to open his businesses at that stage.
'It will be impossible if you don't have another stream of income,' Mr Fassnidge said.
'Our place doesn't (offer takeaway). We've got 10 people, what happens if a table of five walks in and a table of six? You've got to go "Well, someone's got to go home".'
The chef said it was contradictory that he sees 20 people in hairdressers and on buses yet restaurants were only limited to 10 customers.
Overall, he said it was a 'positive step' by the government that will largely benefit cafés and takeaway restaurants rather than dine-in establishments.
While Mr Fassnidge's restaurants are closed, he has been giving away food at Banksia Bistro restaurant in southern Sydney.
While Mr Fassnidge's restaurants are closed, he has been giving away food at Banksia Bistro restaurant in southern Sydney
The celebrity chef gives away raw ingredients that suppliers have donated, in addition to cooked meals that he and his remaining colleagues have prepared.
'Families would turn up, it's pretty heartbreaking actually. On a Monday night when I come home, I'm pretty frazzled,' he said.
'You see families who have never had to take food from anybody in their life turn up with the kids and they are just grateful to get the grocery, bread, salmon, mince.
'It is pretty bad. Do you know what? It's going to get a lot worse when this JobKeeper thing stops. I see on the ground what's happened and it is pretty scary.'
People in need of food can collect ingredients from the Banksia Bistro carpark at 2pm on Mondays, except for next week, which will be a Tuesday.
The celebrity chef gives away raw ingredients that suppliers have donated, in addition to cooked meals that he and his remaining colleagues have prepared
