Alcohol and other drug use in Michelin-starred kitchen brigades

This paper aims to explore chefs’ experiences of the use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in Michelin-starred restaurants in Britain and Ireland. In total, 54 Head Chefs were interviewed in this study, which found AOD use to be part of their occupational culture. The work context plays a key role in this phenomenon in that harsh working conditions (such as heat, stress and long hours) provide fertile ground for AOD use as a means of self-medication and as a coping strategy. This study observes a normalisation of drinking to unwind. Even if this practice is detrimental to health, it is the coping mechanism used by chefs to deal with the stresses associated with the high end kitchen environment. Based on the findings of this research, it is argued that despite the industry’s efforts to eliminate this phenomenon, AOD use is part of everyday life in high-end commercial kitchens

Open kitchens: customers' influence on chefs' working practices

The open kitchen as a customer restaurant vista is an emerging phenomenon. The existing research on chefs has primarily focused on the dark side of professional kitchen work which is often facilitated by being closed production spaces. To date, limited research has explored the transformation of chefs' experience through the re-orientation of their work environment from closed to open kitchens which now necessitate customer engagement. We build on the research gap, by investigating chefs’ perceptions of this transition, through a Goffmanian lens to theorise the impact of customer interactions. Purposive and snowball sampling strategies were employed to identify and interview twenty-eight chefs located in different cities in the UK. Chefs spoke passionately about how their social reality and shared perceptions of kitchen work are shifting due to exposure to customers. Fundamental, positive changes are occurring for chefs' working practices and the skills required in meeting the demands of the experience economy. Theoretically, our novel findings offer a fresh perspective of the modern chef and advance the conversation beyond the negative connotations portrayed of kitchen life

When the plate is full aggression among chefs /

Aggression within the culinary industry has been an ongoing and under reported issue among professional chefs, not only in Australia but also internationally. Limited research suggests that there is high prevalence of aggression/bullying within the culinary industry, and that this may be a product of a unique combination of physical, psychological, and environmental demands embedded in a culture where such aggression is normalised. The current, survey-based, study aimed to assess whether chefs were indeed more aggressive than the general population, and if so, to examine the factors of perceived stress, rank within the kitchen hierarchy, gender, and licit substance use to identify where any differences may lie. Ninety-one Central Queensland based, Australian, chefs were recruited as participants in this study, consisting of 67 males and 24 females. Participants were asked to complete a self-report survey containing the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire, a Workplace Stress Scale, and demographic questions pertaining to gender, rank, and alcohol and tobacco use. Results revealed that chefs were significantly more aggressive than a geographically similar general population. It was found that when looking at rank within the kitchen hierarchy, common chefs/line cook, particularly male chefs, were significantly more aggressive than other ranks within the kitchen. Conclusion and directions for future research are discussed

When the plate is full : aggression among chefs

Aggression within the culinary industry has been an ongoing and under reported issue among professional chefs, not only in Australia but also internationally. Limited research suggests that there is high prevalence of aggression/bullying within the culinary industry, and that this may be a product of a unique combination of physical, psychological, and environmental demands embedded in a culture where such aggression is normalised. The current, survey-based, study aimed to assess whether chefs were indeed more aggressive than the general population, and if so, to examine the factors of perceived stress, rank within the kitchen hierarchy, gender, and licit substance use to identify where any differences may lie. Ninety-one Central Queensland based, Australian, chefs were recruited as participants in this study, consisting of 67 males and 24 females. Participants were asked to complete a self-report survey containing the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire, a Workplace Stress Scale, and demographic questions pertaining to gender, rank, and alcohol and tobacco use. Results revealed that chefs were significantly more aggressive than a geographically similar general population. It was found that when looking at rank within the kitchen hierarchy, common chefs/line cook, particularly male chefs, were significantly more aggressive than other ranks within the kitchen. Conclusion and directions for future research are discussed