Chefs’ isolation in kitchens can trigger violence and abuse, study finds

Study of chefs at world’s top restaurants discovers working conditions create parallel moral universe

The physical isolation of chefs working in Michelin-starred kitchens can lead to violent misbehaviour and a feeling that “the rules don’t apply”, a study based on interviews with dozens of top chefs has found.

Working long hours away from the bill-paying public in often windowless and cramped kitchens creates a parallel moral universe in which abuse and violence is the norm, the study of 47 chefs at restaurants in Europe, Asia, Australia and north America by academics at Cardiff University found.