ISLAND eateries are struggling to hire Bermudian chefs, according to one restaurateur.

And the problem has been highlighted by the fact that, of nine students who enrolled in the two-year culinary arts programme at Bermuda College last year, just one wannabe cook ? a non-Bermudian ? completed the first half of the course.

Because she was the only student remaining at the end of the first year, College officials decided to scrap the final year of her programme.

Restaurateur and chef Judith Wadson, who owns Aggie's Garden and Waterside Cafe on Pitts Bay Road, said: "My main concern is that trying to run a high-quality restaurant in Bermuda with good Bermudian staff is almost impossible.

"It has been and continues to be a frustrating and costly exercise to place advertisements for qualified chefs and not receive a single response. I have looked to the Bermuda College to recruit. But there seems not to be much training going on there. I do know that there was only one non-Bermudian who wanted to continue in the second and final year of the culinary programme, but because no Bermudians enrolled, the course is not in session."

Ms Wadson also questioned how frequently the recently upgraded facilities were being used and asked what was being done to encourage people into the profession.

"What is the National Training Board doing to attract folks into this highly creative field?" she said.

"The annual recruitment drive does happen, but I have no idea of the numbers of culinary participants.

"I know that years ago there were many locals interested in training in the culinary arts and they did so successfully at the Bermuda College. Foreigners used to come here from the US and the Caribbean to train.

"The restaurant business in Bermuda is almost entirely reliant on foreign help, and there seems to be no end to this trend. I would dearly love to pass on my knowledge of organic and healthful cooking to a younger Bermudian, but I need someone who has successfully reached a level of training first.

"I am looking for solutions, not only for my pint-size restaurant but for every local restaurateur who continually voices the same problem."

It's a view shared by Philip Barnett chairman of the restaurant, bar and nightclub division of the Chamber of Commerce.

"It's a vast problem, now more than ever," he said.

"It seems that, as the growth of international business increases, it becomes harder and harder for us to attract anyone into the industry.

"I think one of the problems is this is not a job where you will be working nine-to-five job. It's working unsociable hours, weekends and holidays. That makes it a real struggle for us to hire Bermudians.

"I think there's a perception out there that restaurants bring in foreigners because they don't want Bermudians but nothing could be further from the truth.

"We so wish that we could have locals working for us, be it in the kitchen or serving. For a start they can start straight away, which is when you need them. You don't have to be waiting three months for a work permit which can be so incredibly challenging.

"What that also means is that we're losing local ambassadors, people who grew up here and are passionate about the island. We have to rely on foreign workers to tell our visitors about Bermuda.

"I think it's just a question of choice and that Bermudians have decided to preclude themselves from the hospitality industry. I don't think there are any answers to get Bermudians in and we certainly don't want people who don't want to be in this industry.

"It's an honourable calling ? inviting people in and showing them a good time. But there's a world-wide shortage of chefs at the moment.

"Even resorts in North America are struggling and we can no longer just pick and choose chefs from Europe.

"That's why we're having to go further afield, to countries in the Third World where people are happy to work in the industry because they see it as a step up, even if that means being away from their families for 11 months of the year."