Pardon my sober ovaries

Just would like to ask if there are any chefs out there tired of the sexism junk in the kitchen, and also tired of the alcohol/drug abuse that is consuming the industry. I just need to hear that there really are places and people of integrity in this industry. Currently, all lead positions in my kitchen are white male, doing the chemicals, and treating women like chattel. Why are the organizations in our industry not addressing these problems? They are large and nationwide.

By foodguy on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 08:14 am: Edit

I agree with you chef ann. There is to much of that in the kitchen. Perhaps you should start a coalition for non sexual abuse in the kitchen!@!

Chad

By Mikeh (Mikeh) on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 01:05 pm: Edit

As a male baking and pastry student, I'm a little disappointed to hear that this kind of stuff is still rampant. I've worked in the oil industry, and they are finally getting a handle on the drugs through mandatory surprise inspections. They will lock down a well-site and everyone inside, including the CEO of the company if he happens to be there at the time, is inspected. At school, they walk through the dorms with drug dogs in an effort to keep everyone clean.

I'm also surprised that the abuse continues, especially with the average harassment verdict nearing $70,000 and the average wrongful dismissal verdict nearing $40,000.

In my B&P class there are 15 female students and 4 male students. When I look at Pastry Art & Design magazine they showcase a lot of female pastry chefs. Hopefully the continued flood of women into this area of the industry will result in a more hospitable working environment.

Cheers, Mike.

Cheers, Mike

By Mikeh (Mikeh) on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 01:06 pm: Edit

As a male baking and pastry student, I'm a little disappointed to hear that this kind of stuff is still rampant. I've worked in the oil industry, and they are finally getting a handle on the drugs through mandatory surprise inspections. They will lock down a well-site and everyone inside, including the CEO of the company if he happens to be there at the time, is inspected. At school, they walk through the dorms with drug dogs in an effort to keep everyone clean.

I'm also surprised that the abuse continues, especially with the average harassment verdict nearing $70,000 and the average wrongful dismissal verdict nearing $40,000.

In my B&P class there are 15 female students and 4 male students. When I look at Pastry Art & Design magazine they showcase a lot of female pastry chefs. Hopefully the continued flood of women into this area of the industry will result in a more hospitable working environment.

Cheers, Mike.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 04:40 pm: Edit

I can't say where I work is perfect, but no one in the kitchen drinks or does drugs and as the only female I have never been harassed. It's a professional kitchen. I don't know if this matters but none of the guys where I work are white males, single or under 30 years of age.

Unforunately, I would agree with ChefAnn, the behavior you describe does exist. My best guess why it still happens is that the top management started in the kitchen and they still have the same behavior faults brought into management.

Mikeh I bet in time if you recontacted the females in your class there will be less of them working in this profession then the 4 guys. There are several reason why your seeing alot of female pastry chefs. One reason is it's a way to get away from the boys club and recieve respect in this field.

I also think most of the lawsuits you hear about are coming from white collar/better educated fields. Sexist issues have yet to be noticed in this good old boy profession.

By chris on Friday, January 21, 2000 - 08:10 pm: Edit

I'm sorry to say this but the women in this industry are just as bad. The only difference as far as am concerned is. Wonen get away with it!! I don't how many waitresses or female cooks have said to me (while I have been tenderizing meat) "wow you're beating your meat" or the usual jokes made by the female staff when myself or other chefs are cutting cukes, zuchs, or anything else phallic for that matter. These comments, if made by a male employee to a female, would have them drawn and quartered in a court of law, but the ladies get away with it. Yes harassment is rampant in this industry, but I feel it's not all one-sided. There is a fine line and as long as my male staff doesn't cross it no one gets a pan thrown at them.

By Nicz (Nicz) on Monday, January 24, 2000 - 10:25 am: Edit

Chef Ann, I empathize with your situation. I once worked in a bakery that had all men working in the kitchen besides myself. They never sexually harrassed me, but they did however belittle me. I was the most educated person in that kitchen and instead of asking for my opinion or my advice, they ordered me to do menial tasks such as measuring out ingredients and not even being aloud to continue to mix the ingredients that I just measured. I quickly got out of that job and went and worked for a wonderful chef in a fine dining restaurant who treated everyone in the kitchen with the same esteem - even the dishwashers. I once again was the only woman in the kitchen, but never once felt that way. So, there are places out there that will treat you like an equal. As far as the drug issue goes, I don't know if it will ever stop. Every restaurant I've worked in I have seen it. Sad.

By Chef Ann on Monday, January 24, 2000 - 11:36 am: Edit

Chef Ann and her sober body parts respond: Thanks very much to all who responded! Foodguy, I am now beginning work on creating an informational, support oriented forum in my area on these issues. Chris, you are exactly right, some women are just as bad, if not worse. Male bashing is also a form of harassment and that can't continue either. Some women also use sex as a way of gaining power in the kitchen. This also makes my blood boil. I've got a lot of "issues", can you tell? Please, let's keep this dialog going. We can't afford not to.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Monday, January 24, 2000 - 12:08 pm: Edit

chris, I agree with you on the point that women are just as likely to make crude comments. I work in a kitchen that is about equally divided between women and men (I'm female). We are all pretty raunchy, really. The difference between that and harrasment in our kitchen is that no one does it to gain power or control or to belittle anyone. And no one directs it toward a new person until they reveal themselves as someone who has the same kind of sense of humor. Also no one does it around the younger staff. I am lucky, however to work in a relatively stable kitchen with a group of people who really get along very well and are friends outside work also. Even so, I've wondered if it bothers the men to hear the comments even if they act like it doesn't. And would men speak up if it bothered them? It's a very delicate line, I think. I have vowed to myself that if I ever witness a situation where someone, male or female, seems uncomfortable because of crude comments that I will bring the subject up and ask them. And take the iniative to put a stop to it if necessary.
As for drugs and alchohol, it's there, but where I am now it's more with the servers. Since the vast majority of the staff is clean (one of the benefits of living in a conservative midwestern city), there is an atmosphere that people who are out of control just don't feel comfortable with and they usually leave on their own. Or they do something so stupid that even they know they're history before they have to be told. I think creating this type of atmosphere is the most effective form of prevention. But it has to come from the top down, and I know that's impossible in many situations.

By W.DeBord on Monday, January 24, 2000 - 12:26 pm: Edit

Ann I don't mean this in a sarcastic way(I don't understand), I don't follow how you create a forum in your area (what does that mean: at work, at a chefs organization, on line?)?

Don't you think it all comes down to the professionalism of the management and especially the Head Chef who sets the whole tone in the kitchen? Those are the people in control, how do you control them?

In other industrys it's been the law suits that have awakened/scared business owners into reform. That's the only way I can visualize any meaningful changes in privately owned and operated restaurants.

Or what happens with Union involvment? There are union restaurants and hotels do they run any better than non-Union?

By The Dog on Monday, January 24, 2000 - 07:47 pm: Edit

I also feel that this problem needs to be dealt with. I just found out that the school from which I graduated had fired one of it's finest chefs.This man is a great teacher, and an all around great human being. He is an old-school European chef who very much loves his job. I remember he would give us little nudges in the ribs, or a light jab on the arm on occasion, mere "love taps". Nothing that caused any pain or the slightest discomfort. It was all with love, and we knew it and thought he was great. There was never a sense of malevolence or violence, this was just the way the he worked. It seems last semester he gave a student one of his shoulder nudges which ended in a complaint to the director of the entire college, so now this old man with a heart of gold has been fired without a blink of an eye. I am sure had plans to retire from the school, and it pains me to think of his future. I understand times have changes, but where does it end? Chef, I wish you the best, and THANK YOU!

By Kevin (Kevin) on Monday, February 28, 2000 - 09:50 pm: Edit

some thing that really bothers me is that everyone wants to be treated equally but that cant happen because everyone is different(some people need more help and others waant to do everything on their own) there is that fine line that we dare not to cross like sexism and raceism. One person said "it all comes down to the professionalism" im not saying it is alright to be a jerk but some chefs work for 12 or more hours a day and we cant be expected to not joke around and not to show are selves for who we really are!

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, February 29, 2000 - 08:55 am: Edit

I love to joke around, nothing would make my work place better then for me to be including into the male conversation of joking. Swearing doesn't offend me in the least, unless your swearing at me. Carve what ever you want out of carrots, etc...at least your practicing or learning how to carve.

The line gets crossed when sexual pressure begins. If one of the guys or girls tries to make it with every other person at work.

All people are offended differently. Therefore you have to judge each person seperately. Don't judge all females to be offended by joking.

I'm bothered about slightly different issues. More of the picking on, isolating and ignoring type of banter that divides co-workers instead of pulling us all together as a team having fun.