An initiative by the Culinary Institute of Barcelona to dignify the chef profession in accordance with 21st-century values

#NoChef 2024

Also in the kitchen. Advocating for the Role of the Chef in Society

The world of professional cooking has been romanticized to the point of exhaustion. So much so that the figure of the chef has come to be seen as a superman or superwoman through their discipline, creativity, and passion for cooking. However, this façade hides a bitter reality that affects thousands of workers: labor exploitation, mistreatment, addiction, discrimination, and constant pressure. 

For this reason, this year we continue to use our strength to tell the realities as they are. Many of these issues are experienced and reported in other professions, but they are normalized in kitchens. This time, the city of Barcelona is our voice to advocate for change. 

There is still a long way to go before we can celebrate a Chef’s Day (20th October)​ in a dignified manner, where they are valued for the quality of their work and not for their ability to survive at the expense of their rights.

#NoChef 2024 If you are unable to see it, you are part of the problem.

If you are unable to see it, you are part of the problem.

Discover all the realities that coexist within a kitchen. Explore the different messages and share the ones that speaks to you more truthfully.

Your mental health is not the price to pay for your job.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

8 out of 10 people working in professional kitchens have experienced mental health issues throughout their careers.

Working 14-hour shifts isn't dedication, it's exploitation.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

Part-time shifts are a recurring practice in the restaurant industry, often resulting in disguised full-time hours. This practice not only hinders work-life balance but also allows employers to cut costs. El País.

Your integrity should not be at risk while working.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

2 out of 3 women working in the hospitality industry have experienced sexual harassment from coworkers or supervisors. New York Times.

If you can’t pay your employees properly, shut down your business.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

The average annual salary in the hospitality industry in Spain is 39.6% lower than the national average, significantly contributing to the profitability of this sector. Instituto Nacional de Estadística.

A job that consumes you isn’t a job; it’s a danger.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

The hospitality industry has the highest prevalence of drug use. Alcohol and substance abuse are common coping mechanisms for dealing with the harsh working conditions in kitchens. Quest Diagnostics.

Diversity strengthens the team; discrimination destroys it.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

Inclusion and diversity in work teams have been shown to boost innovation and productivity. On the other hand, discrimination—whether based on race, gender, or sexual orientation—creates a toxic environment that undermines team cohesion. Culinary Institute of Barcelona.

You shouldn't have to choose between seeing your kids and keeping your job.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

Long hours, poorly distributed shifts, lack of scheduling predictability, and peak activity during times when others are resting are the main issues that prevent work-life balance. In Spain, work-life balance policies still fall short. El País.

Your gender doesn’t define your success at work.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

Only 6% of the restaurants considered among the world's top are not led by men. Chef’s Pencil.

If your way of motivating is through fear, you’re not a leader, you're a tyrant.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

The perception of a threat to well-being, combined with a feeling of helplessness, leads professionals to remain silent and accept abusive situations. Organization Studies.

Your sexual orientation is none of your boss’s business.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

Restaurant kitchens can be hostile and heteronormative environments for LGBTQ+ individuals. In Spain, 31% of people from this community have faced workplace discrimination. El País.

Being the customer doesn’t give you the right to disrespect the staff.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

Restaurant professionals often face verbal abuse and mistreatment from customers. This lack of respect not only worsens the work environment but also affects the mental health of workers, especially younger staff who are more vulnerable in such situations. El País.

Getting paid for overtime is not a privilege.

Even in the kitchen.

INSTA

Spanish labor law stipulates that employees cannot exceed 80 overtime hours per year, and these hours must be recorded and compensated. This is a basic labor right. BOE.

What is: “No, Chef!”?

Manifest

The world exists in duality, and the world of gastronomy is no exception. On one hand, there are collapsing chefs, closed restaurants, inadequate wages, violence, and excess. On the other hand, there are more restaurants than ever, along with glamour, wealth, fame, and success.

Is it possible for some to have so much without the subjugation of others?  

Most kitchens are not the idyllic places portrayed in reality shows or TV series, where chefs work creatively and harmoniously to deliver excellent service. More often than not, kitchens can resemble a nightmare, filled with shouting, harsh words, and authoritarian commands that infiltrate daily life. 

The famous “Yes, chef!”—a phrase inherited from the military, complete with uniforms and stripes—grates against a world that is increasingly global, diverse, empathetic, and sustainable. This is why, at the Culinary Institute of Barcelona, we firmly assert “NO; CHEF!” in our collaborative effort to build a new paradigm. 

As a culinary school, we feel compelled to inform our students about the realities that prevail in most kitchens today. However, as an educational institution, our mission is to impart values, skills, and tools that prepare them to lead the necessary changes to transform the future. 

Our students come from all over the world, driven by a profound passion for gastronomy and a desire to effect change through their own projects beyond merely cooking. Our mission is to equip them to achieve this goal, enabling them to shape their destinies with values and ethics that enhance their lives, their teams, and the world. 

This compelled us to question many things, leading to the launch of “NO, CHEF!” with the aim of challenging the entrenched status quo in the sector and beginning to turn the dry soil to allow new ways of understanding and dedicating oneself to this profession to flourish. 

From the moment a student steps into the CIB, our goal is to transform them as individuals. We focus on helping them develop judgment, critical thinking, and the ability to question and tackle challenges. We teach them humility, but we also teach them to lead. We emphasize that to achieve greater heights, they must do so with a team that trusts them. We teach them that for everyone to succeed, success must be collective. 

Leaving behind what has been learned to embrace new knowledge is not always easy, but it is the only way to progress. Otherwise, we will merely repeat the mistakes of the past. 

¡NO, CHEF!  

Education as the tool for driving change

  • Working 60 hours or more a week, including Saturdays, Sundays, mornings, afternoons, and nights. Working on Christmas, missing your children's birthdays, and being unable to balance your work life with your family life.

    A cooking school should not only teach how to cook. At the CIB, we teach our students that the gastronomy sector is changing and that they are the driving force behind this change. The survival of restaurant businesses should not depend on the exploitation of working hours or the freedom of their workers.

  • Being heard amidst shouts, receiving orders in a disrespectful manner, and enduring humiliations from both team members and clients remain real experiences.

    At the CIB, we train our students to create environments where mutual respect is a priority, rejecting any form of abuse from clients towards workers.

  • “To pay our workers more, I would have to raise prices!” This is the common excuse used by the restaurateurs. They are the same ones who seek recognition at any cost.

    We teach our students that it is not possible to design or maintain a business that pays its workers poorly. Such a business should not exist.

  • The consumption of drugs and alcohol destroys personal relationships and leads to burnout during service.

    The image of the chef as a rock star living life on the edge should remain in the past. When these situations or environments arise, our CIBers will be equipped to confront them, thanks to the skills acquired during their training and the mental health sessions that provide them with tools to recognize risky situations.

  • Cultural discrimination against restaurant workers is unacceptable and goes against the principles of respect and diversity that every organization should promote.

    At the CIB, we promote interculturality in our classrooms, where students from diverse cultures learn to work together, breaking down barriers and fostering mutual respect. We believe that diversity is key to combating discrimination and enriching the workplace environment.

  • Women in restaurants face a persistent issue of sexism that limits their growth and devalues their work.

    At CIB, we strive to eradicate sexism in gastronomy, with a student cohort that consists of 50% women, promoting equal opportunities and female leadership from the start of their training.

  • There are still LGBTQIA+ individuals in the restaurant sector who face discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender, resulting in hostile and unequal work environments.

    At the CIB, we promote an inclusive and safe environment that respects and celebrates the diversity of sexual orientation and gender, training professionals committed to equality and respect in the gastronomy sector.

  • A significant percentage of restaurant workers face mental health issues due to the demands and stress of the work environment.

    At the CIB, we address mental health comprehensively, offering a dedicated course that provides tools to help our students manage stress and care for their emotional well-being in the gastronomy environment.

  • Young staff in restaurants often suffer from labor abuses, fueled by the false belief that their inexperience justifies unfair working conditions.

    At CIB, we teach our young students to recognize and reject any form of labor abuse, empowering them to demand respect and fair conditions from the very beginning of their careers.

  • Working 60 hours or more a week, including Saturdays, Sundays, mornings, afternoons, and nights. Working on Christmas, missing your children's birthdays, and being unable to balance your work life with your family life.

    A cooking school should not only teach how to cook. At the CIB, we teach our students that the gastronomy sector is changing and that they are the driving force behind this change. The survival of restaurant businesses should not depend on the exploitation of working hours or the freedom of their workers.

  • Being heard amidst shouts, receiving orders in a disrespectful manner, and enduring humiliations from both team members and clients remain real experiences.

    At the CIB, we train our students to create environments where mutual respect is a priority, rejecting any form of abuse from clients towards workers.

  • “To pay our workers more, I would have to raise prices!” This is the common excuse used by the restaurateurs. They are the same ones who seek recognition at any cost.

    We teach our students that it is not possible to design or maintain a business that pays its workers poorly. Such a business should not exist.

  • The consumption of drugs and alcohol destroys personal relationships and leads to burnout during service.

    The image of the chef as a rock star living life on the edge should remain in the past. When these situations or environments arise, our CIBers will be equipped to confront them, thanks to the skills acquired during their training and the mental health sessions that provide them with tools to recognize risky situations.

  • Cultural discrimination against restaurant workers is unacceptable and goes against the principles of respect and diversity that every organization should promote.

    At the CIB, we promote interculturality in our classrooms, where students from diverse cultures learn to work together, breaking down barriers and fostering mutual respect. We believe that diversity is key to combating discrimination and enriching the workplace environment.

  • Women in restaurants face a persistent issue of sexism that limits their growth and devalues their work.

    At CIB, we strive to eradicate sexism in gastronomy, with a student cohort that consists of 50% women, promoting equal opportunities and female leadership from the start of their training.

  • There are still LGBTQIA+ individuals in the restaurant sector who face discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender, resulting in hostile and unequal work environments.

    At the CIB, we promote an inclusive and safe environment that respects and celebrates the diversity of sexual orientation and gender, training professionals committed to equality and respect in the gastronomy sector.

  • A significant percentage of restaurant workers face mental health issues due to the demands and stress of the work environment.

    At the CIB, we address mental health comprehensively, offering a dedicated course that provides tools to help our students manage stress and care for their emotional well-being in the gastronomy environment.

  • Young staff in restaurants often suffer from labor abuses, fueled by the false belief that their inexperience justifies unfair working conditions.

    At CIB, we teach our young students to recognize and reject any form of labor abuse, empowering them to demand respect and fair conditions from the very beginning of their careers.

CIB Students reaction to mean comments about their profession

At the CIB · Culinary Institute of Barcelona, we believe in the educational field as a catalyst for change. We instill these values in our students and make them active participants and proponents of this initiative. As future leaders of the sector, their voices and opinions will help to destigmatize this reality.

#CookingTomorrow

An initiative of the Culinary Institute of Barcelona

We are born from change, and we don’t stop doing it. Those who do not change do not evolve, and teaching should be serve this purpose: to teach how to evolve. 

Discover our school Our Methodology

It is happening

Turning our words into actions

Drug use is not a game. What you think one day can take your mind off your problems can turn into your worst nightmare.

Today is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and we have answered some of the myths surrounding this global issue. Moreover, it is still a common situation in the restaurant industry and it is the duty of all schools to provide the tools to identify and avoid these behavioural and emotional management patterns.

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It is not clickbait, it is a reality.
It is not an isolated situation, it is a systematic violation of women\'s rights.
It is not a question of asking for more, it is a question of commitment to equality.

The salary gap between men and women is still very present in the 21st century.

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Verbal abuse, panic and bulling. These are the results of a survey on the chef profession conducted by Cozymeal & Sesame Health.

Numbers don\'t lie. It is urgent to put an end to the violations of moral and labor rights that occur in the culinary sector.

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You are a part of it!

We face significant challenges, and we know that your voice is essential in achieving a fairer future. It is no longer enough to merely observe and identify what is wrong.  

Join the movement by sharing your experience, taking action, or simply staying updated on all our initiatives.