Chefs worldwide advocate for humane kitchens amid industry abuse revelations

Recent reports of staff abuse at Noma, the influential restaurant led by chef René Redzepi, have intensified scrutiny of toxic kitchen cultures. In response, Monocle interviewed seven chefs from five institutions about creating supportive work environments. Kwang Uh and Mina Park, co-owners of Baroo in Los Angeles, offer higher-than-average pay and 40-hour workweeks, with Uh applying Buddhist principles of compassion. Ben Shewry, chef-owner of Attica in Australia, published a 2024 memoir criticizing industry toxicity and models his restaurant on ethical businesses like Patagonia, implementing weekly staff speeches for team bonding. Norma Listman and Saqib Keval, co-owners of Masala y Maíz in Mexico City, use open-book finances, profit-sharing, and credit cooks on menus. J Kenji López-Alt, a chef-author, operated Wursthall in California from 2018 to 2022 with strict rules against public put-downs and sarcasm. Asma Khan runs Darjeeling Express in London's Soho with an all-female South Asian team using a flat pay structure. These chefs emphasize equitable pay, reasonable hours, and psychological safety over traditional hierarchical, fear-based kitchens.