Heavy eyes, scalded hands and shattered nerves: such was the norm for chefs working in high-end kitchens in years gone by. But a new generation of industry leaders say they are swapping these “abusive” working practices for four-day weeks and a better work-life balance.
Even the old guard are taking heed of the shift. Last Friday, Michel Roux Jr announced he was closing his renowned two-Michelin star London restaurant Le Gavroche in pursuit of a “better work/life balance”.
The changes threaten to see off such foul-mouthed, high-octane representations of the culinary world as were seen in this year’s television series The Bear and in Philip Barantini’s 2021 film, Boiling Point.
Paul Foster, a Michelin-starred chef who owns and runs the restaurant salt in Stratford-upon-Avon, has been working in kitchens since he was 16. “When I started cooking 20-odd years ago, it was quite common practice to work between 70 and 100 hours a week. That’s pretty much unheard of now,” he said.
“There are still a few places where practices haven’t changed, but they are an absolute minority now.”
Foster said the shift in work patterns began about 10 years ago. “A new generation moved in and said, ‘Of course you have to work hard and you have to go above and beyond,’ but they didn’t want to be doing 100 hours a week,” he said.
“Pay and work-life balance is so much better across the board. The norm is now more towards 48 hours. Sometimes it goes up, but we’re nowhere near what we used to be,” he said.
The change in working culture is also a result of the way restaurants have changed their menus and opening hours, he said. “We have streamlined menus, meaning there is less preparation and workload.”
salt is closed for six weeks every year. “Everyone is guaranteed three days off a week. We are never worried about calling people in on short notice,” he said.
Earlier in his career, Foster said he once worked for 10 days straight. “I must have done about 160 hours without a day off. I remember just being absolutely broken. I was lambasted in front of everybody because I was looking slightly unkempt and tired on my 160th hour.”
However, some chefs still believe that those who cannot stand the heat should get out of the kitchen, while union leaders fear that “exploitation in the name of fine cuisine” will continue until more formal measures are taken to stop heavy-handed behaviour.
Aktar Islam, an award-winning chef who owns and runs the Birmingham-based Opheem, the only Indian restaurant outside London with a Michelin star, is worried that the changes in working attitudes could mean the “end of the golden years” of British gastronomy. “The next 20 years of British hospitality will be very different from the world that I know,” he said.
“The narrative has changed so much now. It’s not about dedicating yourself to an art, which cooking is, it’s not about pushing yourself to be the best that you can be. It’s about wanting to be the best but to do it on terms that won’t allow you to do that because practice makes perfect. If you’re not there to practise, you’re not going to become perfect.”
He added: “Do I look at the years gone past and look at it in a resentful way? No I don’t. The trials and tribulations that we’ve been through made us the chefs we are today.”
Islam says he maintained an “old-school way of doing things” but stressed that there had been some positive changes in the industry, which he has implemented himself. “We try to instil the discipline that you need to become a great professional, but in a positive way, as opposed to beating it into them, as it used to be.”
Stuart Ralston has worked in the industry for 25 years and owns and runs the Edinburgh-based LYLA. He said the expectations of chefs had “changed massively”.
Post-Brexit and post-pandemic, staff retention has been a challenge for many restaurants. “So many restaurants are short-staffed. The employees have more choice, so you need to be more competitive with what you offer.”
In 2018, LYLA began implementing a four-day working week. “The benefits are huge. My employees are not going to be burned out. It also just helps us keep staff retention really high. We try as best as we can to limit everybody to a 40- to 50-hour work week.”
Brian McElderry, executive director of the culinary union Unichef, does not believe the changes at the top have gone far enough. He said: “Whilst it is pleasing to note that some high-end restaurants have realised the benefits of seeing their chefs as assets to be nurtured and looked after, there are still many in our industry that adhere to the 1970s-style exploitation and abuse that they themselves endured during their training.
“Until Michelin themselves outlaw abuse as a qualification for their accreditations, then exploitation in the name of fine cuisine will be a recipe that many will follow.”
Despite some disagreement, the industry-wide shift towards a better work-life balance is seemingly inevitable. Foster said: “Generally speaking, everybody’s on board. Because even if people don’t agree, they’ve got no choice. It’s like a freight train: you’ve got to get on board, otherwise you’re going to be left in the dark ages with no staff.”
