Head chefs: ‘Cut macho bulls***’
Vulnerable individuals pay a price for the hot and stormy culture of commercial kitchens, writes Madison Reidy.
REALITY TV and cookery shows may have turned some top chefs into celebrities, but the harsh truth is that when it gets hot in the kitchen, many cooks struggle under the pressure.
And in New Zealand, that pressure has been compounded by a shortage of hospitality staff to worsen cases of depression among chefs, causing some to hang up their aprons for good.
NZChefs president Graham Hawkes said he knew a number who had left the high-pressure profession due to mental health issues.
Depression among chefs in New Zealand was ‘‘of huge concern,’’ he said.
Top chef turned My Food Bag head of recipe development Anton Leyland said he struggled with depression in his 20s as a young chef.
Some senior chefs bullied him. They were trained to lead with an iron fist, he said.
AMy Food Bag colleague, former chef Matthew Bing, confided in him about his mental health struggles, he said. Family believe Bing took his own life in November.
Losing an employee on his watch was tough but it made him realise the hospitality industry needed to change.
He called for head chefs to ‘‘cut the macho bulls...’’ and discuss mental health with colleagues to normalise it.
The role of chef was gruelling. They often worked 15-hour days, 7 days a week, in a fast-paced environment and under immense time pressure, he said.
Hawkes said there was a lack of committed and passionate chefs here, increasing the pressure on those who took up the job.
Those in small cafes and top restaurants felt the same strain mentally, he said.
‘‘They all suffer. For far too long it has been brushed under the carpet.’’
Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois said staff shortages absolutely contributed to mental health issues in the industry, particularly for chefs.
Head chefs and restaurant owners were often forced to work long hours to fill gaps in the roster, making them more stressed, she said. DAVID WHITE/STUFF
‘‘There is a whole backstory behind this. It’s a real challenge, we’ve talked about skills shortages a lot.’’
Chefs were listed on Immigration New Zealand’s