HOT TALES FROM THE KITCHEN

Welcome to our first ever men’s issue of YOU magazine. I know you’re used to seeing female faces smiling back at you from these pages every Saturday but this week there’s a bit of a shake-up. Of course, the stories are no less fascinating, but it’s good to hear fashion, beauty and life stories from our male counterparts too. It was particularly interesting to read Alasdair Gill’s piece on page 26 of today’s issue. The renowned chef reveals how kitchens have evolved of late and are less ego-charged and more staff-friendly. I have to admit that, like the lady he mentions in his introduction, I find kitchen stories absolutely compelling – though I think I’m a nicer person than she appeared to be before she knew this about him. It’s probably down to all the restaurant dramas I’ve watched down the years – if you haven’t yet seen it, put The Bear on your binge list – but tales from the industry are so alluring. The day-to-day workings alone make my head hurt. As someone who finds it hard to manage a simple under-counter fridge in her house to ensure there’s no waste at the end of a week, I wonder endlessly how restaurants know how much of a certain food to order/defrost? How do they keep everything fresh and hot? How do they get everything ready at the same time, especially if people want steaks at various levels of done-ness? I know, I know, my brain is a strange place. I’ve known many chefs down the years and I have to say I always find them affable, friendly and fun. But I doubt very much that they’re always like that – especially during work hours. But then, isn’t everybody different in work? The tension in their job is also very high. Unlike other industries, in which you can fix mistakes, you can’t uncook something and try again. Any mistake costs a business money and leads to food waste, something which goes against everything they’re trying to achieve. None of this, however, gives any chef the right to treat staff badly. People like Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsey made careers out of being shouty, angry, difficult people – in fact, the former was so bad, he once made the latter cry – and this certainly sent out the impression that this kind of behaviour was not only acceptable but would reap rewards for those who engaged in it. That mentality has certainly changed and treating staff in that way should no longer be tolerated. Yes, kitchens are high-energy work spaces and require people to be attentive and efficient, but all of that can be achieved without belittling anyone or resorting to insults. In fact, didn’t our mammies always teach us that food made with love tastes better?

Enjoy the issue.