Hospitality’s #MeToo moment: Chefs call for end to ‘abusive’ practices from being paid below minimum wage to sexual harassment and being BURNED with utensils, after staff at Tom Kitchin’s restaurants were suspended
- Chefs have called for an end to the ‘culture of abuse’ in the hospitality industry
- Comes after Tom Kitchin suspending two staff members following allegations former workers were ‘punched’ denied food, water or any breaks’ during shifts
- TikTok star Poppy O’Toole, who worked in kitchens for 10 years said she left kitchens after ‘not being paid minimum wage’ and being ‘sexually harrassed’
- Asma Khan said Michelin strip restaurants of their stars if chefs are abusive
Dozens of chefs have called for an end to the ‘culture of abuse’ in the hospitality industry after two members of staff at Tom Kitchin’s restaurants were suspended following allegations former workers were ‘punched and dragged by their collars, denied food, water or any breaks’ during ‘gruelling’ 18-hour shifts.
Since allegations were published by the Scottish Times on Saturday, chefs across the UK have spoken out at their ‘lack of surprise’ saying it’s ‘commonplace’ and ‘everyone in the industry knows what’s going on’.
Poppy O’Toole, who worked in kitchens for 10 years before getting made redundant in lockdown and becoming a social media sensation wrote on Instagram: ‘I’ve worked in six kitchens over my career. | have had to leave one job after arguing to be paid the minimum wage.
‘I have had to leave one job after a much older employer forced themselves on me and tried to kiss me.| have had to leave another job after a much older employer sexually harassed me on multiple occasions. | reached out to colleagues and was told to ignore it.
Poppy O’Toole, who worked in kitchen’s for 10 years before getting made redundant in lockdown and becoming a social media sensation wrote on Instagram: ‘I’ve worked in six kitchens over my career. | have had to leave one job after arguing to be paid the minimum wage.
Unichef, the chef’s union, has said that allegations of bullying are ‘too common’ and asked its members to ‘sign a petition aimed at stripping Michelin stars and rosettes from restaurants where abuse takes place’.
Asma Khan, who runs Darjeeling Kitchen, added the ‘buck stops with Michelin’ and called on the Red Book to stop giving out stars to these kitchens.
Instagram account Hospitality B*******, allows those working in the industry to anonymously reveal abusive practices, with recent allegations including top chefs burning staff with hot tongs, screaming at front of house employees and throwing punches. They say they’ve spoken to more than 40 former staff of The Kitchin.
After Poppy shared her post many commented saying they’d experienced similar.
Nitisha Patel, an award-winning chef added: ‘Yes chef! Couldn’t agree with you more. Reading this post brought back so many memories for me in my early years in the industry and looking back now, I can’t actually believe that a) I actually just ignored and allowed so much s***, and b) this shit still happens today! You’re absolutely right, we do need to make noise!’.
Chef Terry Henderson, who has worked in top kitchens in Canada and the UK, revealed ‘nothing has changed’ in his 50 years in the industry.
He said he was working at a Mayfair Hotel in the seventies as part of his apprenticeship, and the head chef needed to cut their staff down from 10 to two.
‘I was standing picking spinach one morning, the sous chef came and stood beside me with his left foot on top of my right, waiting for me to say something. On other occasions I was punched, jabbed with hot tongs, hot with a ladle and generally given just about every s*** job you can imagine.
In a lenghty Instagram post, Poppy said: ”I have had to leave one job after a much older employer forced themselves on me and tried to kiss me.| have had to leave another job after a much older employer sexually harassed me on multiple occasions. | reached out to colleagues and was told to ignore it’
Asma Khan, who runs Darjeeling Kitchen, also took to Instagram to ‘boycott the bullies’.
‘There is a practical solution, if the heat of the kitchen is too much- get out of the kitchen. Do not physically attack your colleagues. It is so simple,’ she wrote.
MasterChef winner Shelina Permalloo shared the post adding she was ‘disgusted.
Michelin-trained chef Tripti Khettry added: ‘This is how things were run in kitchens everywhere. Times have changed and this doesn’t work anymore. Behaviours such as this why, there is a shortage of chefs. Who would want to be abused five days a week for 60 – 70 hours a week?’
The chefs comments follow reports that Tom Kitchin has suspended two senior staff members over allegations of abusive behaviour towards his employees by senior staff, including sexual harassment and the denial of food and water during 18-hour shifts.
Asma Khan, who runs Darjeeling Kitchen, added the ‘buck stops with Michelin’ and called on the Red Book to stop giving out stars to these kitchens.
The organisers of the campaign said in a statement calling for industry change that any ‘appalling behaviour… in the profession is vile and degrading and has no place in a modern working environment.
‘People within hospitality are well aware of all the issues but are reluctant to criticise but now we believe that all sponsorship and accolades awarded in a brand’s name should be rescinded upon proven evidence of abuse and that companies like Michelin and the AA should ‘call out’ abuse in their name.’
Mr Kitchin, 44, said the kitchens in his restaurants were high-pressure environments where emotions ‘often run high’. He added that behaviour had to match the standards expected of the food and service.
Asma Khan, who runs Darjeeling Kitchen, also took to Instagram to ‘boycott the bullies’. ‘There is a practical solution, if the heat of the kitchen is too much- get out of the kitchen. Do not physically attack your colleagues. It is so simple,’ she wrote.
He said he was ‘immensely proud’ of his colleagues and ‘where we have fallen short, we will address and remedy it’.
‘Top kitchens the world over can be high-pressure, frenetic and challenging environments, where emotions often run high,’ he said.
‘However, the exacting standards of our food and service must be matched by the standards of behaviour in our kitchens and wider operations.
‘In the last few years, the feedback from our team members underlines the significant strides we’ve taken to improve what had often been a traditional culture in our kitchens, but we have more to do.
‘I’m immensely proud of my colleagues at the Kitchin Group and where we have fallen short, we will address it and remedy it. That will be our clear priority in the weeks, months and years ahead.’
Tom Kitchin (pictured), who was made Scotland’s youngest Michelin star winner in 2006, opened The Kitchin in Edinburgh
Peter Southcott, managing director of the Kitchin Group, said: ‘Following allegations of unacceptable behaviour, two senior members of staff have been suspended whilst these claims are fully and independently investigated.
‘We will not hesitate to take whatever action may be necessary.’
Mr Kitchin, who opened his restaurant in Edinburgh 15 years ago, is a guest judge and mentor on MasterChef and appearances on Great British Menu.
The allegations follow a difficult year for the Kitchin Group, with Mr Kitchin forced to close Castle Terrace amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Southside Scran has been temporarily shuttered since last July and Mr Kitchin has been forced to make more than 100 redundancies, news he said he delivered ‘personally’ over the phone.
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