JB facing intense cook competition with Singapore

Cooking up a storm: Head cook Lim Chze Hoe, 54, working with cooks under him at a restaurant in Johor Baru.

JOHOR BARU: Eateries here are facing a double whammy as they struggle to employ and retain cooks while also coping with the surge in the number of customers following the reopening of the border with Singapore.

Johor Baru Cooks Association president John Ang said there is intense competition among restaurant and coffee shop owners for cooks, with many now offering higher salaries to attract workers.