Numerous Asian restaurants in Israel went on a one-day spring roll strike last Tuesday in protest over government plans to rid kitchens of foreign chefs.
The restaurants have also issued threats that equally popular sushi and noodle dishes could be the next items taken off the menu.
The move comes in response to a new radical broader program seeking to cut the number of foreigners working in the Jewish state.
Plans include replacing Asian chefs in Japanese, Chinese, and Thai eateries with cooks who are native Israeli.
The Israeli Ethnic Restaurant Organisation said the country’s 300 Asian restaurants refused to serve spring or egg rolls on February 12 and are busy planning another strike in two weeks when sushi and noodles will not be available.
Head of the organisation, Arnon Volosky, told reporters: “Public opinion has been more than supportive.
“Customers say they are shocked and can’t live without South Asian food. People have been asking to set up a petition to hand in to the Government.”
Israel has traditionally attracted virtually no immigrants from Asia since anyone seeking citizenship there must prove they have Jewish family or links to the country.
However, after the first Palestinian uprising, Israel encouraged foreigners to seek work in the Jewish state. This resulted in a nationwide explosion of Asian restaurants.
In the 30 years since the first few restaurants opened the Asian food industry has evolved to bring in $275 million a year.
Sushi has proved a massive hit, particularly in the secular coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv where the city celebrated the opening of its 100th sushi restaurant last month.
The Israeli Government has already made steps to cut the number of Asians working in the restaurant trade; they will be granting only 500 permits to chefs in 2008 compared with 900 last year.
However, next year no permits will be issued.
Volosky said his organisation had asked Israel’s Supreme Court to force the government to rethink the decision.
