Elite Chefs Say Kitchen Work 'Like Going to War' – Study Finds

According to a recent study, chefs who work in elite kitchens endure "extreme suffering" in order to produce award-winning food. According to reports, Michelin Star chefs have been known to sterilize their wounds on hot burners and dip their hands into deep-fat fryers to demonstrate their toughness at the workplace. One of them remarked that starting a shift was like "going to war."

The study also found that many cooks continue to view the suffering as "a medal of honor." Based on the anonymous accounts of 62 Michelin Star chefs working in the UK and overseas, Cardiff University and Emlyon Business School in France performed the study. Many spoke about being physically mistreated and bullied from the beginning of their careers; one junior chef spoke of being "locked in fridges, punched, and kicked about." Some chefs said that they were frequently put through endurance tests, such as peeling "up to 150 fresh langoustines every day with our bare hands," which caused some to have vomiting and diarrhea before starting their shifts, some of which lasted 20 hours. Despite this pressure, researchers found that "a body marked by wounds and burns was something to be celebrated" for many people.

According to the researchers, many of our chefs had the ideal body type since it represented a committed, diligent, and tough chef. This mindset allowed many people to continue working even after becoming hurt. Films like The Menu and Boiling Point, which both won praise for their examination of the fine dining process, put the demanding working environment in elite kitchens in the spotlight. To combat what it called a "playground bullying" culture, the UK's chef's union, Unichef, told the Guardian that the tales showed the need for more diversity in kitchens, particularly more women.