With recent reports on sexual harassment in the workplace and in government offices making headline news. I thought I’d throw in my two-penneth. Although I cannot really claim to be a victim of sexual harassment, I know my work place banter has edged close to the line over my 25 year career. As most chefs, male and female will tell you, we’re not in the school playground anymore. The jokes and banter can be of a level which would make most mortals blush. There is a fine (not really that fine) line between the 1980’s style, Benny Hill comedy moments and the uncomfortable hand on the arse of a politician. Both would be considered inappropriate here in 2018 and rightly so.
Being born in 1974, watching TV through the 80’s has meant that I was can’t help but be influenced by the misogynistic, sexist comedy of the likes of Carry On movies and the chat shows of the time. Watch those old interviews now and you’ll realise how much the women were objectified and being treated like second or even third tier citizens. It was a time where the standards of what was acceptable were unchallenged. I mean, TV audiences were still pining for the Black and White Minsterels dancing on their tv’s. Some may say this was all harmless jokes and banter. But we now understand that these views are just reinforcing stereotypes of a generation. Anyone who was not white, male and heterosexual was considered fair game. I do wonder future generations will look back at this decade and try to decipher our obsession with celebrity, body shape, smartphones and social media.
All forms of media had, and still has, it’s responsibility. There are few who would break ranks to stand up and acknowledge that there’s a problem which needs addressing. This is why now, in 2018 I can stand here as a 43 year old black male and can say with my hand on my heart that I have been on the receiving end of racism at several points of my life, most weeks, most months, most years. I’m not talking about the hard line, right wing fascism. Although that happens. I’m referring to the casual remarks. The “just jokes” comments. As well as the blatant ignorant comments and assumptions.
What’s this got to do with being a chef? Nothing really. But I was compelled to write this post after I noted the surprise in the eyes of a supplier when they realised I was the head chef. Assuming that my bigger, hairier and white colleague was the guy in charge. Didn’t even consider that I was the guy that had sourced his product and paid for it out of my hard earned cash. To be fair he also overlooked the female I had working with me too. I was far too busy be offended at the time. The incident just got logged in my subconscious for later. Their are people out there who would have taken massive offence at this point and the situation would have ended very differently. The gentleman was a local cattle farmer, from out in the countryside, who had probably only ever read about black people in his 1954 edition of Encyclopedia Britannica.
A few weeks later, I was talking with someone who had said they thought they’d seen my wife out running. Now baring in mind that this chap had never met my wife. He just assumed the the woman was my wife because she was black and running. That was all he had to go on. Because that’s how it works right? My wife does run. She’s white and was 100 miles away with her girl squad that weekend.
Like I said. These incidents are not full on, right wing racism. This is just ignorance, stupidity and naivety. And had the two events not happened so close together I may have not even written this post. I know on both incidents that there was no malice or hurt intended so I would not even think to kick off. That’s just the shit a person of colour has to deal with. It’s a long way from the lynch mobs of yesteryear.
I know I’ve been overlooked for jobs and positions purely because of my colour and a judgement associated with it. Applying for head chef positions, to then be offered a senior sous chef title, with no head chef was a classic. I took great joy in telling that employer to go and **** themselves when they tried to offer me the senior position within a week, realising that I was bloody brilliant (Obviously i’m kidding #Bants). I then left.
Equally I have been offered positions just to fill a racial demographic. This was not within the hospitality industry to be fair. But They call it diversity now.
So let he/she without sin, cast the first stone. There is so much bad shit going on right now. Everyday a new story comes out about a celebrity abusing their power. Taking advantage of those they see as weaker than themselves. Men and women alike can and have been guilty of many bad things in this industry. Black, White, Indian, Asian or whatever. It is now time for the profiling to stop. Assuming that this white, female chef can’t cook Caribbean rice n peas. Stop believing that the Asian chef knows nothing about Classic French cuisine, and that black guy must be the kitchen porter. This is 2018 and the world is getting smaller. We are getting closer to each other and the sooner we can tear down borders and barriers in our micro-worlds. The sooner we can all just crack on.

In my current position as head chef, I like to “give back to the industry” by offering work experience to chefs, young and old. Students and mature learners alike. And one of the questions I get asked is “What are the best knife sets to get?” 
So I thought I should write down my personal view on the tools of our trade.
There are several great brands out there. From a classic Sabatier from France to the hand crafted, British made blades. Knives are personal, individual and there is no “One size fits all” system. For me, I love a wooden handle. I tried using Global knives but it felt weird in my hand. Also I don’t like the nylon/plastic handled knives. These always feel cheap. Maybe they just remind me of when I used to teach at college and the students would be issued with some useless, unbranded, cheap training knife. What’s the point of that eh? Poor knives slow chefs down and that’s something we don’t need. My day to day knife brand is Victorinox, Rosewood handles. They tend to suit my budget and the steel is a good quality, hard wearing steel. 
I was given a beautiful Japanese “Shun” knife a few years back. This was a thing of beauty. Layers of folded samurai steel with a perfect black wooden handle…. Then a waiter took it as a cake knife for a customer to cut their £2 Mr Kipling, Victoria sponge birthday cake and it was never seen again. I now, don’t like to let my knives out of my sight. This tends to be a chef law standard. Other rules include:

• Don’t touch my f***ing knives
• Don’t ever touch my f***ing knives
• If I catch you using knifes, I’ll f***ing finish ya!

I think you get my point (No pun intended!)
 
As for knife sets. I recommend NONE! By sets, I’m talking about the 10 piece trainee sets on offer in the Nisbets/Russums catalogues. Most chefs can survive on 3 or 4 knives to complete their day to day tasks. A good paring knife, a solid 8,10 or 12 inch cooks knife, a filleting knife and a boning knife. The last two are interchangeable in my opinion. Find the right knife for you. You may like the heavyweight European blade or lightweight Japanese steel. The choice is totally yours.
Knives should be looked after. I carry a wet stone and a steel. Only I am allowed to sharpen my knives. No other chef should ever try to sharpen another chef’s knife. That’s a bad move. I’m getting upset just thinking about it! Get yourself a good roll, case or box to store them in. Count them in, count them out!
Don’t let yourknives go through the dish washer. This really messes them up. Especially the domestic dishwasher you have at home. I don’t know why or what goes on in there but They will just come out blunt, grey and if they have a wooden handle, this will be ruined.
In time, you’ll start to realise which knives you’ll like. I’d always suggest seeing it in real life first. Looking at something online is a world away from filleting 5 stone of Sea Bass with it.
A good quality knife will last you your entire career. That’s a fact. 
Take a look at some of the links below. These are pretty cool. The video on knife sharpening goes on a bit, but highlights the need for a good quality wet stone.

MY GEAR:
​Here are my most used knives at work.

• Sabatier 8" over 20 years old
• Victorinox Santuko and Filleting knives (Both currently missing in action)
• My Japanese knife (3rd one down) which is well over 25 years old!! Bonkers eh? Only paid around a tenner for it too!!!

Further reading:
Other articles worth checking out. GQ’s Michelin Starred knives and what does Anthony Bourdain think?

Review link: If you are looking for a comprehensive review of knives, please try this link here:
https://www.reviews.com/chef-knife/

I have no association with any of the links included in this post.

Are we superstitious? Is there actually a chef code. As a chef do you believe in an all mighty Chef deity, who oversees your daily grind?




This blog post was inspired by a conversation in my local chef forum. It was one of those moments where I realised that I wasn’t alone in what I thought were my own idiosyncrasies. So here are a few highlights:




Commandment one



Thou shalt always double tap your knife the chopping board or work surface before commencing with any slicing, filleting or chopping duties. This ensures the knife still works and makes the chef gods happy.




Commandment two



Thou shalt never utter the words “I think it’ll be nice and quiet tonight” before the end of service. This is ALWAYS a trigger phrase for the chef overlords to strike you down!




Commandment three



Never look at the clock on the wall. Service is not over!




Commandment four



Thou shalt not touch another chef’s knives, pen, or tools. This will only create tension and you can legally be assassinated by ninjas.




Commandment five



Never ever tip away the last portion of sauce béarnaise before the end of service. It doesn’t matter how sure you are. Even if you’ve sent out the last table’s meal. They will ask for a splash more.




Commandment six



This one is not really a superstition, but important all the same. ALWAYS use a dry tea-towel. Assume everything is hot.




Commandment seven



On the subject of tea towels. How many should be tucked into your apron? Personally, I am a one cloth chef. But I know some who appear to be living out Hawaiian hula skirt fantasies. Going with three or even four tucked in there.




Commandment eight



Never tell your fellow chefs, “I’ll just stay for one drink, I’ve got to get home”, this is basically provoking a challenge. You’ll soon be tip toeing into your house at 3am.




Commandment nine



Always have you chef’s back. If you know they got plastered with you last night, the least you can do for the lightweight is help them with a little of their Mis En Place. Especially if they have had the decency to turn up.




Commandment ten



Thou shalt not be a dick (not gender specific)




There are several blogs and posts which cover the “chef code”. My own view is that number 10 here covers it all. You don’t have to search too hard to find online chef Facebook group pages and forums which are filled with opinions, take-downs, negativity and general childishness. The modern term is “trolling” I guess. We, as chefs have enough to deal with without taking swipes at each other. There are some social media pages where I would never post photos of my work. No matter how proud I am of it. I know some jumped up Michelin Guide wannabe will be waiting to post a comment about preferred presentation technique. Or even suggest adding wild garlic (a joke I never really understood on chef’s arse FB page).
I love being a chef. I love the history of it. I love the simplicity and the complexity. But it is just food at the end of the day. No double tapping of the knife or pre service cigarette ritual will make any difference. Our knowledge is our power. It does take a certain type of person to stick it out as a chef. I’ll be 43 later this month and I am one of the last remaining chefs from the group I graduated with back in 1994. The others are either bus drivers, dead or somewhere in between. I’ve said before that I am not sure how many years I have left on the front line so-to-speak. But I will never stop cooking*.




*Obviously, if my numbers come up on the lotto I AM OUTTA HERE!!!

This is a blog I have wanted to write for a while now. It is a strange one for me because in my questioning of people about this topic, I was given a real insight to how some close friends operate. And I wasn't always in favour of their actions or behaviour.
So, what is it?… It is leadership. More specifically, the negative side of being a head chef which stems from a simple question I was once asked.
“You seem like a nice guy Brian, but why are a lot of senior chefs complete dicks?”
This in turn, led me to ask other chefs questions about their management style. Having a focus on keeping a team happy and having a family feel, working environment over being a dictator overlord and master of the kitchen, who strikes fear in to all those who make eye contact.
Does one need to become a dick and be more aggressive with co-workers, in order to get the best out of them?
I know I’m using the negatives here. I am just curious to know whether the modern chef needs to be more aggressive in leadership to get the best out of their team. Should a chef rule by fear or friendship. In my own kitchens, people who work with, and for me tend to stick around a long time. Years in fact. This is rare in this trade which has a notoriously high turnover of staff. I pride myself on being calm, friendly, approachable and professional. My style is to lead through nurture and encouragement. I am very patient. Naturally, I have my darker side, but this doesn’t usually activate until several factors have been triggered. This was not always the case.
When I finished college. I was fuelled by tabloid stories of rock star chefs. Marco was turfing people out of his restaurant. Burton-Race was being exposed on TV as having a bit of a temper (allegedly). These guys were alpha, macho and forthright. They were, at this time, being pricks in my opinion. And I loved it! Modelling myself on this type of leadership. Having nightly confrontations with front of house staff or junior chefs. Even though, at this time, I was still a chef-baby. I was still a little delusional. I was mimicking the big boys of the industry, but I had no substance to back myself up apart from my ego. As I got older and wiser, the realisation of my childishness became tiring. I became a father quite young and this mellowed me out too. I guess I started seeing the chef and waiters working around me as people not targets. Parenthood isn’t the cheapest form of therapy, but it worked for me.
I recently watched an episode of Chefs Table which focussed on Chef Tim Raue. The self-confessed eccentric is regarded as one of the best chefs in Germany, Europe and the world. But is also famed for his aggression and intense personality. Yet chefs want to work with/for him. I believe the same can be said for several of the world’s best chefs?

So, getting back to my question. Is the aggression needed in the kitchen? Do we need to rule with fear? Where does the fear stop and the respect begin? I like to believe that I have the respect of my team in my kitchen. We only have a small working area (3 people maximum, 2 chefs, 1 wash up). This does not allow for being a prick. There are more jokes and banter in our tiny box of a kitchen. I take my food very seriously, but it will never take precedence over the connection I make with my colleagues. Is this the wrong attitude? There are times when I have supressed my anger for fear of upsetting a co-worker. I know that an outburst would have an effect on the environment because of our small working area. I understand that the higher profile kitchens and chefs will have way more pressure on them than I will ever get in my pub kitchen. I get that. It’s just we are still seeing and reading a media portrayal of  head chefs screaming at their commis. I guess that makes a more interesting story than people all being nice to each other. Is it time for the friendly chef to stand up and be heard. Or will they just get shouted down and verbally abused by the tsunami of testosterone (that sounded better in my head). All that being said, the scariest head chef I ever worked for was female.
In this modern era where a seven second video clip can end a career. Not to mention an ill thought out tweet or blog. We need to be careful and respectful. It isn’t the 1990's anymore….apparently 😊!

Slightly different angle this month. I’ve just compiled a list of films and tv shows which I have watched or had recommended to me by other chefs. No rants or industry observations. Just me, the remote control and a day off. So getting straight in to it….

My first movie is a film which put the idea of being a chef, in to my mind. Quite bizarre actually, as the film is a little odd and dark…some may say that sums me up too. With an all-star cast featuring Helen Mirren, Tim Roth and Michael Gambon. “The cook, the thief, his wife and her lover” is top of my list of chef films. From 1989 it features costumes designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and was directed by Peter Greenaway. It is a classic British film set in the criminal underworld headed by a young(er) Dumbledore. This is a very stylish film. They way the costumes were changed in colour for each room change in the restaurant is just captivating. I suggest watching with a bottle of red wine and some cheese.

2. Very different from the previous film. “Under Siege” is quite simply awesome. To sum up. Steven Seagal is a chef. Well ex-Navy Seal who kicks arse! Ok. So it is a little ridiculous but I love it. The trailer alone will make any chef proud. No wine required for this one.

3a&3b. For number three on my list, I am actually going to include two movies. They are very recent and most chefs may well have seen or heard of them already. This list is really aimed at the more obscure films which you may not have seen. So. “Chef” is way better than “Burnt”. The movie “chef” has a better story, better cast and is more believable. Whereas I found that “Burnt” showcased some great cliché chef moments, it had too many holes and I found I was probably more interested in the lead character’s back story, than the tale told in the film. Both well worth watching even if it is just for the smouldering beauty of Scarlett Johanssen or the insane handsomeness of Bradley Cooper.

4. Back to the classic artsy films. “Eat, Drink, Man, Woman” is a Taiwanese movie directed by Ang Lee. You will be hungry while watching this 1994 movie about a dad and his three daughters. I’ll be honest here. I enjoyed the cooking scenes more than I liked the movie as a whole. But again, well worth checking out.

5. Sticking with Asian cuisine. Here is a movie I have not seen yet. The trailer captivated me and I’m still waiting for a DVD to become available “Cook Up a Storm” is simply spectacular visually. With lots of “Chef’s Table” style cinematography. I can’t wait to see it first-hand. I can only hope that the storyline is enough to maintain my attention. Does look good though.

6. With that. “Chef’s Table” is a Netflix exclusive series which is the absolute benchmark in food photography and a visual joy. It offers a real insight into the drive of some of the best chefs in the world and I would encourage any chef who strives for excellence to enjoy an episode when they can.

7. I recently found out that this next film featured a young Michael Gove. You know? The politician. Don’t let that put you off. “A Feast at Midnight”is another movie from the 90’s which I rather enjoyed. It stars Christopher Lee as a head master of a boarding school. That is scary enough for me. But this classic little British film tells the story of some young lads sneaking into the kitchens at night to have late night cooking sessions. Good, old fashioned fun.

8. This next movie is another which I am yet to see, but several chefs and foodies have told me that it is a real gem. “Big Night” from 1996 is in my Amazon basket. Please comment below if you have seen it and let me know your view.

9. From the BBC, I give you “Chef!”. A TV series starring the comedy champion that is Lenny Henry. Possibly his greatest work. He plays Gareth Blackstock, the head chef of a fancy restaurant. I’m not sure who the chef advisor was on this show, but there are so many nuggets of realism in it that only true chefs could ever relate to. Like losing a blue plaster while making the ravioli. Too funny. This is definitely worth finding a DVD box set.

10. Finally, this is yet another which I am yet to see, but have had recommended to me by several chefs, cooks, foodies and film lovers. Babette’s Feast. I’ve seen the trailer and it doesn’t really appeal to me. The fact that I rate Under Siege as a classic really should give you an idea of my level.
Too man subtitled films on this list?Please feel free to comment with any other films or TV show you may feel I’ve missed. I’m sure there are plenty but i’ll happily add and good suggestions to this post.

​Honorable mentions to: Kitchen Confidential (TV series), Pie in the Sky (TV series) and Chocolat
Dishonorable mention goes to Ratatouille. Hate it! enough said!

Here in the UK we are not habitually nocturnal creatures. We wake up early and have our breakfast. We go to work and then eat our sandwich at lunchtime. Then in the late afternoon we eat our supper. 6pm will do it, maybe 7pm. Unless of course we are going out for a meal with friends and/or family. This pushes things back by an hour or two. Table booked at 7.30 maybe 8pm? Well we need time to iron that fancy shirt or blouse, put your face on or just sponge off the food stain from your suit’s last outing.
As a chef who doesn’t get to eat out very often. Well not on a weekend night anyway. I can appreciate the ceremony which goes into an evening out. But this post is not aimed at chefs. Because what I am about to drop on you is something that NO other chef would ever do to a fellow brother/sister. Never! It’s just wrong and disrespectful.
Passing a busy restaurant and its late. It’s 9.15pm and the thought enters your mind….shall we get something to eat? You stand and look at the menu displayed outside and notice that they close doors at 9.30 “Oh that’s fine, they’re still open for 15 minutes”.
You see the menu has a 10oz rib-eye steak with hand cut chips and béarnaise sauce which you know will sort you right out! As you enter the restaurant, a slightly bedraggled host approaches you. “Table for two?” they ask hopefully (Hoping there is not a platoon of colleagues about to pile in with you)
“yes, please…we haven’t booked. Is that ok?” The host knows full well you haven’t booked. All their bookings are in and fed and watered. With a quick glance at the clock they know they cannot turn you away without facing the wrath of a TripAdvisor review or the owner (who’s away skiing).
“That’s fine”
You are then shown to a table which and the menus, water and bread rolls are all brought to you in record time. You see the host disappear to what you guess is the kitchen. It is now 9.26pm.
Anyone who has ever worked in a restaurant will know how that conversation with the chefs went. For those that have not, then imagine working 16 hours in thirty degree heat, where everything is hot, sharp and angry. As the finish line approaches, the thought of that ice cold beer or crispy white Rioja has you salivating like Pavlov’s dog… to then be asked to do another hour.
As chefs we know this will happen. It happens all the time and we get angry. We deal with it. Front of house staff are the aggression filters of the kitchen. They take the foul language and the tantrums and return to the customer with a smile. Ready to take your order. I can only apologise to the wake of waiters and waitresses I have verbally abused in the past. It was never personal…well mostly never!
In all walks of life, whether you work in retail, an office or factory floor. We all get that moment when you see someone approaching you just minutes before close of play, and you know that they are going to add time to your working day. Even as a teacher I was once advised to not ask “is everything ok?” to a student on a Friday evening. The risk of adding hours to your day outweighed humanity it would seem. I was never put in that situation thankfully. I like to think that my humanity would have prevailed in that situation though.
So, back to the restaurant. You’ve ordered the steaks. The chef is grateful that you didn’t ask for them to be well done. Although the béarnaise sauce has just been eaten by the kitchen porter with the crusty baguette ends so now, whisk in hand the chef frantically get to work on two portions of buttery eggy herby goodness. Hoping the customer will not notice the dried tarragon as the fresh stuff all went in the original batch. The commis chefs are frantically re-cleaning the kitchen and re-wrapping/labelling all the stuff that they had originally cleared away earlier under the false pretence that they were almost done for the day.
Here’s the thing. When you order late like this. In adding to the chef’s day, you are also taking away the chefs’ prep time. Also, their break away from the kitchen become that much shorter. There is a massive difference between a 10pm finish and 11pm. Especially when the next day starts at 9am and you’ve got a 40 minute commute each way. You do the maths. The same can be said for the late lunch diner. If the establishment is more traditional and offers lunch and then dinner. As opposed to all day dining. Then once you order at 1.59pm That then takes away from the chef’s prep time for the evening service. It’s not your fault, I know. But if you choose to order three courses this late in the day, it may have an effect on the chef’s mood.
It is the lifestyle we as chefs have chosen. There are those who will say that if you don’t like it then just get out. Unfortunately, a lot of chefs have. Reasons like these are why we are finding more restaurants are struggling to keep and attract the younger chefs. It has never been a trade conducive to a social life and family welfare as I have stated many times before.
These blogs are usually triggered by my own kitchen moments. This one in particularly has been inspired by years of me being late to pick my kids up from school in the afternoon or missing dinners with friends and family after I’ve told them “I’ll come and join you after I finish up in the kitchen, I should be out by 9…..”
I am not bitter and I am fully aware that the majority of people are very respectful when arriving/eating late. So, if that’s you. Thanks. Chill. Move on. I just wanted to give a little insight to our world.
Cheers….
 
“…I know its late but is there any chance of a Cheese Board…”
 
“Chef!?” *Put apron back on*
😊
​

I am totally knackered. After a brutally busy Seafood and fizz weekend at the pub, I can finally relax with a few days off.
It’s my wife’s birthday on Monday so we are off for a day of shopping and a night away. Thanks for all the support, nice comments and feedback. I don’t know what Dan has planned next. I personally think it should be a non food event.
See ya in a few days..

I was in conversation with a friend recently. He’s not a chef, or even in the catering industry. But he is very knowledgeable when it comes to social media, online presence and creative content. All areas of business which did not exist ten years ago. During the chat we discussed my views on why a career in the modern catering industry, in particularly as a chef, is not as attractive as it used to be. I’ve recently said, in other blog posts, that I feel trainee chefs are regularly surprised by the real lifestyle of being a chef and the impact it can have on their life. An interesting perspective was raised. Is the draw of being a social media presence more attractive than having an actual career as a traditional chef?
Personally, I struggle to be a full time working chef and provide regular online content. I can snap a quick Instagram photo of a dish from the kitchen, mid service. But the lighting is never ideal and I’m trying to avoid the dish perishing. Also, the risk of dropping my Samsung into a vat of beef chilli is only a nudge away. I have been a chef for 25 plus years. As I approach my mid-forties, the hard shifts are getting harder. The appeal of the online career is ticking a lot of boxes. I know that I have served my time in the trenches so to speak. The hours I have spent at the pass surely gives me the right of passage to blow the dust of my laptop and write some shit down and try my hand at digital media?
So, this brings me to another point. Is there a real tangible difference between a chef and a cook? There are chefs and food enthusiasts out there who are choosing an online career. Choosing not to venture into a kitchen, but to stage cookery from behind an iPhone. There are now opportunities for people, young and old to make careers in this industry through YouTube, Instagram and blogging. This is not a bad thing. I, myself would love to be able to step back from the hustle of the kitchen, the weekend services and surprise midweek violations (Who booked everyone in at 7.30pm?!)
No longer are Head chefs and employers only up against other restaurants and hotels. But they are now trying to convince millennials/ Generation x that this habitually tough career is worth dedicating ALL your time to for minimum wage and status.
You scroll through Instagram under the hashtag #Chef and you’ll find thousands of images from foodies cooking in the low pressure environment of their domestic abode with perfect lighting, plant pots of soft focussed herbs and their clothes cleaner than their perceived diet. Under this logic, can I take a selfie of myself brushing my teeth and use the Hashtag #Dentist. Or snap a moody photo of my first aid cupboard with the Hashtag #MedicalProfessional. Does the scrollee really care about the story behind the image? For the 1.4 seconds which they see, pause, click “Like” and keep scrolling… I don’t think so. The impact is short, sweet and impersonal. Yes, it may encourage some people to cook.  It may encourage people to visit a particular venue. But right now in 2017 I am concerned with whether future chefs are being correctly represented online. Are they seeing the real chefs?
There have been plenty of articles on false representations on social media with body image. Are we guilty of showing only the glossy side of our trade. The very sexy Sachertorte flicked with gold leaf will always make a better photo than the 20th portion of chilli cheese nachos of the day! Maybe it is time we have a few more #BatteredChef selfies. Show the world some of the realness.
So, what’s your point Brian? You know what, I think my point may have got lost in this post. But I’ve already committed to it, so I’ll try and bring it back: Being a chef in the 21st century has moved on. Once you are a head chef and you are using social media, it is up to you to inspire your customers and other chefs. You are representing a rich history and are part of the unwritten future. I suppose what’s putting a hair up my arse is the pretenders using the chef tag when they have not been a chef. I am proud to call myself a chef. Being a chef is not an action. It’s not something you do. It’s who you are. Whether you like it or not, when you wake up, you will be cooking, thinking about cooking or be talking about last nights service. AND ITS GREAT! I want the chefs to reclaim the hashtag from the instafamous instacooks. Show the world what it’s like to be a real chef. What would Antonin Careme say if he saw @BellaDelicious247 posting her scrambled egg, avocado and sourdough to her thousands of followers using the chef hashtag. Or even @JonBicksfitboy1 telling everyone that all their meals can be prepared in 15 minutes. (I really hope these are not real usernames) You get my point?
I want to the real chefs out there. Reclaim the #RealChef hashtag. Show the world that being a chef is not just about producing a single, beautiful dish. But doing it over and over again, several times a night to dozens of customers. Being a chef is knowing your timings and knowing exactly what is going on in every part of the kitchen at every moment. Whether you are a lone wolf in a pub kitchen, or heading up a brigade of a Knightsbridge hotel, any chef worth his or her salt-pot, will have a tale of the emergency order or that “You know about the wedding party…right?” We are all connected.
This post has been fuelled by my recent lower caffeine diet. So I can only apologise for the ranty ramblingness of its content. I hope it makes some sort of sense to someone.
There are some Apps which are targeted specifically for the chef, the professional chef. If you’re reading this then you’ll know which one I mean (Chef+) If you are reading this on one of my other platforms then head over to your app store and search out chef plus. It’s cool. Not enough moody selfies but some great food pics from some very talented chefs.

Fit for Purpose
In last month’s post, I wrote about chefs and food servers dealing with mental health issues. I’d like to thank all those who got in touch about that post. I was very overwhelmed by the responses I received. It seemed to ring home with a lot of people in this industry. If it encourages just one person to talk or open up, then my job here is done.
This time around I’m writing about something a little closer to home. Possibly a little less intense too. This time it’s physical health or rather, lack of it. I don’t know about you chef, but my body is giving out on me. My metabolism has slowed right down since I hit 40 years old. For a long while I could eat or drink whatever I wanted with no real change to my weight or health. This is all a bit obvious I guess. We get older, are bodies take more looking after. We need to be investing more time into getting in and staying in shape. There lies our problem eh chefs? Time….. free time. The chef’s nemesis.
Over the last few years I have been a member of a running club. I have completed a couple of   marathons. Both times with no way near the required training. Crossing the finishing line battered and beaten…..then back to work the next day. I know there are plenty of other professions which can make it hard for the individual to focus on keeping fit and healthy. It’s just that this hospitality industry is notorious for grinding its employees to a pulp and discarding them without a second thought. And we just accept in as the way it is.
I have said before that we as chefs need to make sure we balance our lives with other activities. We are soldiers. We’ll muscle our way through a 14 hour shift. Grazing on bread ends, charred chicken fillets and a rogue cherry tomato. At the end of the shift we’ll patrol the kitchen for end-of-day scraps, like a cliché New York hobo behind the bins. Which is, ironically, where you’ll probably find us sitting with our feast that would make any “Clean Eating wellness” blogger implode. We won’t be instagramming this shit!
The days off will come and there are very few of us who can be motivated to go and run, hit the gym or do anything that will improve their physical health. Unless you include sleep. There are chefs out there who can fit in the healthcare,  but they are in the minority. It’s not a healthy lifestyle. We work to cater to other people’s leisure and pleasure. Our own diet usually takes a back seat.
So what is the solution? For myself, I try to cycle to work and sometimes I run. The diet requires a massive amount of discipline, which I don’t have…. “You gonna eat that piece of bacon?” It is hard, especially when starting out on getting healthier. It is however, very possible. Employers should support the healthier pursuits of their staff. Encourage the 5-a-side team. Promote coverage of your chef in the marathon. Surely we’d rather have a fit kitchen, as opposed to the brigade of renegade, broken pirates.
So whatever you want to do chef, whether it’s swimming, cycling, running or even all three. Go do it. Try to make time for it. I have entered the Birmingham Marathon in October. I have no idea how I’ll get on, but I want to do it. I am fortunate enough to be supported by my employer and my customers, who gladly take the piss when I turn up to work in lycra!
Just go do it chefs. Your body needs it!

You can follow my running and stuff over at My Marathon and Other Animals. Click image below!​

I have a few accounts on twitter. One, as you would assume, for @knifeOfBrian and another  which is used to share my running and cycling updates as well as my more general, non food ramblings.
What these both have in common is that they are both littered with facades of projected personas. Posts from chefs showing off their latest creations and runners announcing their latest PB's.
Certain tweeters I would look out for on a regular basis. What is chef @R*****2 up to this week? How did @Run*****73 do in his race? Without any abhorrent cynicism, I’d just scroll through my social media feed, stopping at recognised avatars or user names. Then it would dawn on me that someone was missing.


What happened? Were they on holiday? Maybe. Had they had enough of social media? Sometimes, yes! But this time in particular, their veneer had cracked to reveal a tortured soul. All that glistened was not golden. Had I missed a metaphorical cry for help? Something was not right. News would then filter out that this person was gone.
This is the point where I would realise that those tweets and Facebook posts were only 1% of the whole story. We are all guilty of doing it. We post the glory moments. We share the “ups”, but only a little of the “downs”. Are we afraid to show weakness?
 “Oh my gosh! What if someone finds out that I don’t find this easy?”
 I'm not sure this post is going where you thought it was? This is very difficult for me to write/talk about. I want to make sure I get my point across without scaring you off.
To get more specific, I will be talking about chefs. They do make up a larger percentage of my readers. I have seen too many fall by the wayside. There is an industry wide epidemic at the moment where chefs, young and old are crumbling and cracking under the pressure.
The bigger problem is that we are not talking about our issues or emotions. We are too "Manly" for that! I say manly because to get even more specific.... MEN are a problem. Please bear in mind that I am writing from personal experience. I am fully aware of the struggles women have in this male dominated industry/world (unfortunate but true). But that can be covered in another blog post.
Chefs are dying. Men are dying.... literally killing themselves. I would not have believed the statistics had I not seen them for myself. The biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK is suicide.
A few years ago, I lost two friends within weeks of each other to suicide. Both were guys, both in their early 40’s. Totally unrelated to each other. I cannot even begin to guess what was going on in their minds. But one thing was for sure, they may have been helped by talking about their problems. Around this time I was made aware of chefs I’d worked with were having personal problems and were dropping out of the industry. They were finding it tough and had got to breaking point. Turning to drugs, prescription or other. Finding solitude in the bottom of a beer glass. Depression was one of those things I’d hear a BBC radio 4 feature about. None of my mates had it! Oh, how wrong I’d been.
I have tried to make a point of making myself available to talk whenever I can. Through local forums, online and network meet-ups. The amount of chefs out there who are abusing themselves with drugs, alcohol and corrupt behaviour is astounding. A quick fix to mask a problem which can sometimes be solved by talking openly. I have found that sometimes a slight change in lifestyle can help. A step backwards in the career can be what’s needed to help move things forward. There is no single answer. No fix-all recipe. But  talking does help. Meeting up with chefs is always difficult. The long unsociable hours and the fatigue can make it a challenge, but always well worth it.
I have been very surprised when speaking with chefs and front of house members who I have worked with in the past. To find out the breadth of this issue. My own ignorance and laid back attitude to life in general had made me oblivious to other’s struggles before now. I may have used the term “Man up chef!” in the past. Not realising that those words can be as damaging as they are stupid. We need to support each other. We need to take a moment to know when a colleague needs help. Not just with the Mis en place, but their state of mind too.
This career is not easy. Now, in 2017, we are under more scrutiny than ever before. The days where you’d wait to see a food critic from the local press, sitting at a table, are long gone. Now EVERY table hosts a critic. All just an App update away from ruining your long awaited days off. A generation of tech savvy, Egon Ronay wannabes, with the literacy skills of an amateur blogger (me!) They will dine and destroy a chef and think nothing of it. Leaving an anonymous critique, veiled behind a palm tree avatar photo on review websites. We all love the ten great reviews. But when the one customer leaves an unfavourable review because they couldn’t get a table, this can be the little push that sends a fragile chef over the edge.
It is a high pressure industry. I love being a chef, but it has taken me to some dark places. There have been times when even, mild mannered Brian, has needed to disappear to a walk-in fridge, for some scream therapy (it works for me). Mental health is headline news at the moment and for good reason. Chefs, work hard. My mum would say “ The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.” A simple saying all too true with restaurant staff. Let’s not add to the statistics.
I am not a doctor. I am not a psychologist. I am just a chef from the east of England who does not like seeing friends on their knees, but will do all I can to bring them back to their feet.
There are plenty of people out there who can offer better advice than I can. People more qualified. I just put it to you, as industry professionals to keep an eye out. The devil is in the details. Listen to what’s being said. I have added some links to the bottom of this post to people and organisations who may be able to help.

Here are a couple of videos. Firstly from Kinsman. She talks openly and informatively about mental health specifically with chefs. It’s well worth viewing. Also check out her website for more information.
 
 
Secondly, a short advert from Calm zone which I feel, sums up everything quite accurately.