77 Brutally Honest Posts About The Restaurant Industry That Would Make Anthony Bourdain Proud (New Pics)

When we're talking about the harsh demands of the restaurant industry, we're talking about the insane hours that the kitchen staff have to work. Chefs, for example, work 50 or more hours a week, and they don't get days off like regular office folks. Nights, weekends, and holidays are workdays, too. Some chefs work 12 to 14-hour shifts seven days a week.

Officially, a chef's workday is only eight hours, but hardly any chef can just clock out at the end of those eight hours. Working in a kitchen means you either have to cover for a sick or absent colleague, wait until all the diners clear out (sometimes there is a rush before closing), and stay overtime for an hour or more to clean up.

You might think that it's not all that bad if you're making decent money. Well, it all depends on your position. Chefs and head cooks earn an average of $60,990 per year, or $29.32 per hour. But that's when you have five or more years of experience under your belt. Line cooks, for example, earn $35,760 per year, or $17.19 per hour. Those who work in fast food earn even less, around $14 an hour.

For some, it's worth it; some cooks are really passionate about their work and are, according to a common saying, "married to their job." Others, however, see how problematic it is: work-life balance is practically non-existent, the pay is low, the work hours are brutal, and there are few signs that indicate the industry is going to change.

Two things can be true at the same time: chefs love their jobs but find such a work model unsustainable. According to a 2026 survey of 460 chefs globally by Bournemouth University and The Burnt Chef, 69% of chefs think about leaving their current role often or all the time. Two-thirds also admit that they actively search for jobs online, and many do so often.

A lack of work-life balance is an old and well-known issue in the industry. That same survey by Bournemouth University showed that 70% of chefs say that work interferes with their personal and family life a great deal. Many kitchen workers find that they often have to miss milestones and disappoint family members. As it becomes harder and harder to juggle family life and work, many decide to quit or pursue other careers.

A professional kitchen is not a cushy office; there's often no HR to protect them from management taking advantage of their position. In bigger establishments, Human Resources might be present, but smaller joints don't even have such a department. That's why worker mistreatment is rampant in the industry.

As kids, many of us watched Gordon Ramsay rip young chefs a new one and called it entertainment. However, there's nothing entertaining about giving your subordinates ulcers, PTSD, and leading with fear. Sadly, this is still the reality for many kitchen workers. Some chefs shared their traumas with the researchers from Bournemouth University, with one recalling how his head chef verbally attacked a young chef for having a panic attack. "How dare you have a panic attack in my restaurant?" was the boss's reaction.