BOSSES of local non-English restaurants, takeaways and food manufacturers can now enrol their staff in a wide range of specially-designed courses at York College of Further and Higher Education.

The courses could save them major costs because many non-English food outlets have to recruit staff from abroad.

It is part of a package being offered by the International Food Skills Academy and funded by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency. On the menu are courses such as cooking, food preparation, health and safety and customer service.

Research carried out by Yorkshire Forward in partnership with the International Cuisine Group highlighted a growing skills gap in management and leadership, front-of-house customer service, as well as areas such as engineering within the food manufacturing and processing sector.

Updated: 10:46 Tuesday, July 15, 2003