Inside One Initiative to Improve Kitchen Workers’ Health and Well-Being

Fifty-three percent of chefs feel pushed to a breaking point; 63 percent report suffering from depression; and 1 out of 4 reported physical abuse, a worldwide survey from Unilever Food Services reported. Statistics like this barely shock us anymore. Media has a tendency to surface underlying issues in a specific environment by jumping on the bandwagon of a major scandal or after a particularly relevant tragedy occurs: the mainstream audiences caught on to the toxic environments in the kitchens only upon a #metoo exposé and again following Anthony Bourdain’s death. Though historically far too little attention has been paid to these issues, the current news cycle has also thrust more initiatives into the spotlight. One example: the #FairKitchens initiative, which launched in May 2018; with the support of Unilever, writer Kat Kinsman’s Chefs with Issues, and Chef’s Roll. It strives to foster a positive, sustainable workplace for the back-of-the-house staffers. Serving a Need As