Great brutish bake-off


The punishing long hours’ and “brutal kitchen culture” are putting the mental and physical health of chefs in London at risk and driving talented people out of the profession, according to the Unite general union.


A snapshot survey by the union found that almost half (44%) of chefs worked between 48 and 60 hours each week and that it is now standard practice for employers to include an automatic “opt-out” of the maximum 48-hour working week laid down by the Working Time Regulations. Almost eight in 10 said that they have had an accident or near miss due to fatigue and over half (51%) said they suffer from depression due to being overworked. Over two-thirds (69%) reported that their hours impact on their health, and over a quarter (27%) said they drink alcohol to get through their shift. 


The union has called on the industry to end the “work until you drop, long hours’ culture”.

www.unitetheunion.org/news/london-chefs-believe-long-hours-culture-is-harming-their-health