This article from UK's The Guardian, covers the death of 23 year-old chef, Nathan Laity. Working as senior sous chef, Mr. Laity was reported to have worked 13 hour days for 27 days in a row. The author suggests that this is rather typical in the kitchen culture and should be changed. What has been the experience in kitchens where you worked? What do you think of the French system that is mentioned in the article?
Of course I feel bad that he passed away. Though I believe it wasn't the industries fault that he didn't take of himself. Every one needs to take of their body, and when your body tells you something is wrong than you need to address it. Sure we all have worked through some kind of illness but when something is on-going time needs to spent to fix it. Your body is the only thing that is truly yours....so take of it.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the industries fault he didn't take care of his bod, it's his. Your body is the only thing you truly have and when something is wrong with it you need to address it. No one should sacrifice themselves to impress others.
ReplyDeleteLong hours in the kitchen workplace are common. When I was in the Army stationed in Hawaii, I had the opportunity to work at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel for my Apprenticeship through the U.S. Labor Department. My hours were set during the week, but on several occasions on the weekends it was nothing for me to work 12-16 hour days. I didn't work them for long periods at a time. On days that I did work them my body would shut down after so many hours which means that my energy level would slow down to its slowest capacity.
ReplyDeleteI think the French system that was mentioned was a little ridiculous and not realistic in today's society where you have restaurants that are severely understaffed and they need their chefs to work more hours than normal or even practical.
Something needs to be done to change this culture, but it will ultimately be up to the the needs of the establishment that the chef is working at, the Chef taking better care of themselves and the chef speaking up if he has to take some time off to rest.
It's interesting for me to think about it in these terms. I've always been one to put in more than 40 hours a week, and my restaurants have never particularly cared how much we were working from the perspective of our physical well being, as much as from a financial standpoint. The only way I was able to work more than 40 hours was because I worked at two different restaurants. It's difficult to judge the French system, because we all know that when we get into what we are doing, and we truly trust in our abilities, it's difficult to see someone else less qualified step in. We often want to be working these hours, and from reading a bit more into Nathan Laity's story it appears that he also loved his job quite a bit. I suppose it's a good cautionary tale to take care of ourselves, but death certainly isn't the norm.
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked at the cause of death. Initially I was thinking that this guy overdosed on speed balls (crack cocaine and heroin mix). The other thing that throws me off are the other readers responses, nobody mentioned the possible use of drugs and alcohol. I just find it hard to believe that he did it sober. I had done the same thing but worked 33 days. but I got my help from alcohol and uppers. The sad thing about our industry is that it can be that demanding of you and not many people want to talk about the drug and alcohol abuse.
ReplyDeleteOne of the other things that bothers me about the article is that it doesn't address why he was working so many days straight. Was the restaurant short staffed? Was he having money issues? What was his primary purpose for working so much? Was he avoiding something?
Personally, I think there's more to this than whats being told. If I had to sign a waiver saying that I appreciate my sanity, I would. I think its great that there are people out there who set boundaries, especially on how much they should work. If there's somebody out there that wants to spend that much time in the kitchen than maybe that's what they need. Its not for everybody. Me on the other hand I appreciate that sort of dedication, but life is more than putting out great dishes every night. Sometimes you have to let go so you can see what really matters.
It is always a horrible thing to lose someone in such a tragic way, especially when his condition was treatable. But, to say that working 13 hour days for 27 days straight is to much, is not true. During my time in the Navy we were waking up at 4:30am and getting off work by 10pm, and the longest i did that was 85 days. The difference, i feel, was that if we werent feeling good we could just walk down to medical and be given some type of medicine. You just have to know yourself and your body, if you push yourself to far then at some point your body will just shut down.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of problems with people working to many hours, and employers expecting you to work those long hours. I feel that the demand for longer hours is just a part of the job. If you can't decide for yourself when you have been working to long and your body needs some type of break, then there will be consequences. It shouldn't be left to the employer to tell you when you need a break. Listen to your own body, don't over work it to the point of exhaustion.
I sort of agree with James that it sounds like there might be more to the story. I've never worked hours like that, but I worked with Brazilians and El Salvadorians in Boston who did 80+ hours a week for months without a day off (under the table or two jobs). I know I certainly wouldn't want to work that much, but people can do it if they take reasonable care of themselves. I don't think it should be legal to force people to work more than forty hours a week (or some other reasonable and arbitrary number), but if an employee wants to work and their employer wants to pay them the government shouldn't have any say in it. Whatever Laity's motivation was in working so much, and despite anything else that might have been going on in his life, he was an adult and free to do whatever he wanted to do. Having a work environment where people are excited and try to push themselves is a good thing, but like a nice wine with dinner, more isn't always better. It's our first responsibility to take care of ourselves. Expecting anyone else to (including the government) is for kids.
ReplyDeleteIn any business, you're encouraged to work above and beyond whats expected of you to get noticed. At my previous desk job as an Intern, I'd get into work at 5:30am and leave at 5pm... Since I sat in a chair all day, had plenty of coffee breaks and could relax if I needed it, the only side effect was being tired and my manager knowing that I was a hard worker.
ReplyDeleteIts different in the kitchen because theres less rest time and once you're off-shift, the only thing you want to do is go out and drink or sleep... The last thing your going to do in your 11 hours of "free-time" (never mind how long the commute might be) is to schedule a doctors appointment for a small cough, or throat pain.
While the hours he worked are typical of some places, most NYC unionized hotels and restaurants do limit your hours, but allow you to work overtime at your discretion.
Agreed with Grill though on the wanting to know why he was working so many hours. Maybe his health insurance was really expensive ;)
Working in an elite level in any arena demands extra time and drive from the participant. For example, professional athletes work out so much prior to an event and during an event that they all know what they are getting into. Such is the same for our industry. Pro cyclists are literally starving themselves during long rides like the Tour De France. They have to know how far they can go for themselves. A government law restricting one's ability to pursue a dream or job just hinders one's progression. Lance Armstrong wouldn't have won the tour seven times if he had had to cut his workouts to 35 hours a week. But he did it in a smart fashion.
ReplyDeleteAs tragic as death is, everyone must know themselves enough to step back, and take a break from time to time. If the job becomes too demanding there is always the option to step aside or try something new. Delegate responsibility and make time for yourself to stay healthy. It should be personal responsibility above all else. Know yourself. Do you want to work like this or do you think you can find/do better.
Previously working with a sous chef who works 165 hours in two weeks, I immediately understand the stress and lack of sleep that goes into working these hours. It is very hard to see a committed, talented, and great chef suffer from working these long hours. But tell me, would he have been such a great chef had he not giving all his time and energy into this industry? I do not think over-working is a good thing, nor is it a bad thing; Some people can handle it and some people can not. Therefore, in my opinion, I think the restuarant industry is not at fault here. One should know their own body limits and mental limts as well. IF they do not, they will fall victim to weaknfss and drift away.
ReplyDeleteI believe if you want to succeed in ANY industry you have to be able to put in the long hours. Coming from a family where both my parents own their own businesses and we all worked in the business working 90+hr/week is not uncommon its just what you do. In order to get ahead and stay ahead whether it be ahead of the market or ahead of your colleague you need to be able to take care of your body nutritionally speaking and adjust if you are not used to the long days. If you love and enjoy what you do the hours to not get to you as bad. It is not the industry's fault, rather it is our fault as driven and motivated human beings striving for success and perfection... but I wouldn't have it any other way. The french are crazy to think you can accomplish what you need to and excel to be on the forefront of the culinary world in merely 35hrs a week. 35hrs a week is like a vacation! Yes the long days are tiring, but if you don't enjoy and thrive under the adrenaline and pressure of these long days maybe this is not the industry for you or rather the right type of restaurant. If you feel yourself literally getting ill from the lifestyle take a break (ya i know easier said than done). Some would say, good luck if your job is there when you get back but I'd rather lose my job than my life if it came down to this with me. -Kaitlynn B.
ReplyDeleteAt my most recent job I worked in a kitchen where I could finally work more than 40 hours per week and I was really excited to me able to prove not only to the people that worked there but to myself that I could stand the long hours of a chef. I would ask for more and more hours then they started giving me more than i could handle, 45 plus. i was in school at the time as well so some of my grades suffered since I would either miss class to catch up on sleep or sleep in class but I never missed a day of work; I was too afraid I wouldn't be able to prove myself. What i'm saying is the hours that a chef works are really obnoxious but often times, especially with young chefs, we chose to over work and never pay attention to the rest of our life to prove we can handle the career. I for one don't agree with the french law of 32 hour work weeks but it's also terrible that young kids are work 98 hours weeks. Our industry has to find a medium and focus more on guiding young chef to care about themselves as much as their career.
ReplyDeleteI think theis tragedy could have easily been prevented if only this individual used his common sense and took care of the medical issues that he was dealing with. I echo the sentiments of alot of other people on this blog who say that he should have addressed his health well before it came to his point.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the system is concerned, it will always be this demanding. And if someone can't produce, the public will always find someone who can.
The chef was simply disregarding his personal health. I know plenty of professionals that work over 40 hours a week sometimes 80 and they manage to stay healthy and they find something to make the most out of their spare time. Unfortunately evolution failed this individual. It is truly unfortunate that in the industry that we are putting ourselves into is not a painless one.
ReplyDeleteAll in all you need to listen to your body, you are your own priority. If you dont look after yourself no one else will. But im sure that he must have been experimenting with recreational drugs in the same token. Not everyone has the same outlet, such as perhaps going for a walk or something as simple as just taking a nap. He chose to most likely overdose and then show up for a long day at work. It will Kill you.
-Katrin Vergel
The first thing that comes to mind after reading the article about the 23 year old chef that died from working 27 days in a row and 14 hour shifts is he should have known better to take care of his body if there was something wrong. Yes, the hospitality industry is one of the most grueling industries to get into. There are really long hours and the work is not the easiest on the body. Chefs are on their feet all day long cooking in front of hot stoves and grills. What would everyone in the world do if the restaurants weren't open the hours that they are? I don't know to many other business that are open they hours of some restaurants. I do believe that there are a couple of restaurants that are open 24 hours, someone has to cook the food to serve to the guest, I do like the fact that the government has tried to a certain point to make laws about the hours people work. i think that it is good to not let people work more the 13 hours in one day and 35 hours in a week. But then there are people like Gordon Ramsay who get pissed off, because the law affects how much money he makes. The article stated that Gordon claim lost millions because the French are lazy. I know from working in a restaurant that the hours are crazy. I personally have worked a 16 hour shift before and then work a 14 hour shift the next day. I know that it takes a toll on your body. Anybody in this industry knows what they are getting themselves into when they apply for the job. So yes it is as much the industry's fault as it is your own. Chefs have to learn to take time off when they need it and understand that if you aren't letting your body rest at some point it is going to crash, no matter how old you are. The one thing that I noticed about the article though is that it focuses on the bad. Yes one chef died at the age of 23, but how many chefs have lived a long life. In any industry I believe there are going to consequences for doing the job.
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It's been my experience that working in the kitchen is hard, challenging work. However, my days were never 13-14 hours long for a month or more without a break. I think that's excessive. I think a bigger question here is when does it cross the line of individual responsibility? Not just for your own physical health, but for your mental health, too. I understand the immediate desire to point a finger and blame someone else for the death. Blaming someone else is very common today with lung cancer caused by smoking or obesity caused by poor diet and eating habits. Everyone wants to point a finger at someone or something else. We have plenty of that in our society so when are people going to start taking responsibility for their own actions? That needs to start happening now. The young chef that died was obviously dedicated to his work and committed to being successful, but ignoring your body and your health is ignorant. I believe the family needs to accept the way this young man treated his body and his health.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of regulating work hours regardless of your industry or profession. It sounds like it needs more time and attention while being industry specific with consideration to each job and the demands, but overall is a very good idea. Why do we take everything to extremes? Food, work, alcohol, sex, drugs, spending money, the internet, etc? Chances are you or someone you know has or has had a problem with doing one of these activities in extreme form. Why? We are a nation that doesn't know when to stop and loves to point our fingers when we realize there is a problem. The sad part is, like this young chef, some never stop long enough to realize their problem. Then, it's too late.
HS
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This article is very interesting because whenever I speak with a chef and tell him/her about my dream of having a similar job as them, there first response is that the industry is crazy and so are the amount of hours which one works. As a young person trying to make way in the business it doesn't matter to be, Im trying to learn as much as possible so the more hours the better. Although when I see experienced chefs in the kitchen for 10-12 hours everyday it makes me think is this job I really want to have for the next twenty years? Of course there's always an unfortunate situation that takes place and I feel very bad for what has happened. I do honestly feel like restaurants need to hire more line chefs so that theres a more humane work schedule for everyone.
ReplyDeleteThe article shocked me in that the shef went that many days straight working 13 hour shifts. It is crazy to think about,but he should of known to take a break in between to heal his body. Him dying could of been prevented and he would have been alive if he would have gotten medical treatment sooner. I also do question why would I want to work in a kitchen for the rest of my life working 15 hour shifts every single day? The thing is I don't it is fine for now, but I know to work hard and get a degree so I can move up. One day someone will break the "manly chef trend" and learn to take care of themselves and their health.
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I've only worked in a couple small places but i was working an easy 70 hour work week month after month. Also when I was deployed to the Persian Gulf, granted I wasnt working in a kitchen, but we worked at least 15 hour days a month at a time, sometimes if we had a lot of work we just would work for days untill we were cought up. I think that the whole 32 hour work week is a joke, that hardly seems like enough time to get all of your work done, and plus if you have a job that you love why should you be restricted to work a lot if you want to.
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As a chef, that has worked in the field I personally do not agree with the argument that “it is because of our jobs that can cause one to become ill”, especially to the point of death. Neither can I agree with the French law that stipulates that one’s work hour is reduced to 35 hours weekly. Working as a head pastry chef in a small restaurant I have had my share of anywhere between 12 to 16 hour work days for up to 27 days. At first when I was introduced to it I was like this is inhumane but you realize that in the industry has seasons and it’s usually only in the establishments peek season that you work this hard. I can agree that the long hours, lack of sleep and consumption of proper food has an adverse effect on the body, but it’s totally up to the individual to consume multivitamins when they know they are not eating regularly.
ReplyDeleteThen again it’s totally up to the individual to refuse the overtime. Another contributing factor I feel is the fact that most chefs unless a sous, or executive work long hour because of our pay. Our pay compared to theirs is nothing to talk about so we work the hours for a salary to marvel at and also to show the executives that we are capable of putting in the hard work and the time to make it to the top. As the saying goes “If you can’t stand the heat stay out of the kitchen” . Our profession can be one that is extremely grueling, but if you do it because you love it, it can also be one of the most rewarding professions as well!