‘We hope to be able to operate at full capacity again in time for Christmas’ – Chef Edward Diacono

Edward Diacono, Chef Patron at Rubino, is hopeful that the increased clientele seen in recent months within Malta’s catering and restaurant scene will continue once all restrictions have been lifted.

In particular, being based in Valletta, he has been pleasantly surprised by how ready people have been to go out again and enjoy themselves, in what are usually quieter months for the capital. It’s a trend he is eager to see carry through the winter months.

“We hope to be able to operate at full capacity again in time for the Christmas period,” he says. “Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle right now is the fact that we are still limited in our capacity. We’re constantly having to turn away bookings because of this, which is completely out of our hands – of course, it’s up to the authorities to make that decision.”

Addressing the staff shortages hindering restaurants, Mr Diacono points out that, in the last few years, younger generations have avoided working in the hospitality industry because of the inevitably long and irregular hours the job entails. “One idea would be to try to work alongside ITS and other international hospitality schools to offer work placements within Malta and Gozo as part of students’ training throughout the year,” he suggests.

This forms part of the Cover Story on the future of Malta’s catering sector, first carried in the Autumn edition of Business Now magazine, the sister publication to BusinessNow.mt