As our society continues to ask for a better work-life balance, professions with odd and long hours become increasingly harder to recruit. Across Australia, we’ve seen a decrease in the number of chefs in training, and also the number of chefs who continue to stay in the business in favour of less demanding careers.
To promote supportive work environments everywhere, Hog’s Breath Café has signed onto the #FairKitchens movement to affirm their commitment to their staff’s well-being. This commitment falls in line with Hog’s long-term commitment to mental health, also raising nearly $40K in 2018 for A Chance for Change. ACFC is an organisation aiming to dismantle social stigmas that surround men’s emotions and bringing the fight for men’s mental health out in the open.
Ross Worth, CEO at Hog’s Breath Café (Australia) says “At Hog’s, we’ve always been passionate about our people. We love our chefs, and we want to help them continue doing what they love, without sacrificing who they are as people and precious time with their family and loved ones.
We’ve introduced several initiatives over the years to increase wellbeing in our organisation. We’re committed to making Hog’s an incredible place to work with abundant opportunities, which is why our organisation has signed on to #FairKitchens.”
Fair Kitchens reports that 74 per cent of chefs feel sleep-deprived to the point of exhaustion. The mental health of chefs around Australia is suffering, and as a result, more and more talented culinary minds are quitting the business or choosing other career paths altogether.
This comes at a time when there is more demand than ever, with home delivery services exploding, ghost kitchens becoming more prevalent, and more restaurant openings.
Despite industry growth, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that of the food and beverage businesses trading in 2010, only 52 per cent had survived for four years. With work insecurity and financial stress indicated as risk factors for suicide, the culinary industry is especially vulnerable.