What specifically is so stressful in a commercial kitchen? ?

Question

After occasionally watching Gordon Ramsay in full flight, and after working part time in hotel kitchens during my studying years...I'm really curious to know what exactly and specifically is so stressful to chefs?

What IS truly so unbearable, stressful and critically urgent that warrants behaviour I regard as over the top, obnoxious and borderline abusive...?

I've frequently heard "there's a lot of pressure" - yet I'm confused...I work a job as a flying instructor and volunteer in the Fire/Rescue service - so I'm well versed in stress - teaching people to fly planes and dealing with lives - yet, I and colleagues co-operate and are controlled.

So why do people and chefs in particular in commercial kitchens act the way they do - when, and I hate to be rude to the profession, it is ultimately food and not lives on the line?

Answer 1

l agree with what you are saying,but in the food and hospitality industry...they bring a lot of dollars.Agree lives are not put on the line,but...you either cope with the stress that goes on in the kitchen..or as the saying goes...get out of the kitchen if you can't handle the heat.

Answer 2

It's all about speed and high quality. Any kitchen has these problems. When plenty of customers and orders come in, they have to all be done reasonably quickly and properly. Add to the fact most help in the kitchen are substandard, low-wage people, that can make things very stressful. It's like the military, you have to follow orders without question. Rebellious punks don't last in kitchen jobs.

I think flying is relatively tame compared to working in a kitchen, which is stressful 24-7.

Answer 3

those kind of working situations can be very hectic. alot of the times they get swamped with orders and are timed on getting them done. alot of it is very stressful. plus they may have waitstaff needing extra things or complaints to deal with. adrenaline gets pumping and i do admit,some get very defensive and out of line.

Answer 4

i like you have been in the industry for more than 45 years and i am still at a loss to understand why they go off in a kitchen . i am a chef ,female[don't hold that against me] and i do not ever speak to anyone in a demeaning  or derogatory manner. ive cooked and organized for 10 to 6000 and did not have problems like these so called cooks do. BUT the one thing that does get my dander up is when there is no service and i get cold food at my dinner table . i pointedly  tell them so .  owners need to get there quality under control and do staff training , and keep a tight reign over their business,.  local  council food departments need to do more home work.  i for one wont buy a pie or  hot chocolate  between melbourne to warrnambool from any bakery , 6 out of the ten were no good.  !!!!!!!  off chef.

Answer 5

its  all  about  th type  of  person  who  enters  certain  professions.

ie  the  type  of  work  you  do  requires  a cool  level  head  under  pressure and  must  be  grounded  in  very  specific  procedures that  are  fairly  rigid...

food  prep  as  you  know  is  an  art  and  artists  tend  to  get  emotional at  times  and  they  are  temperamental.  

not  only  does  the  food  need  to  be  right  it  needs  to  be  fast   and  all  the  dishes  for  a  table  need  to  be  timed  to  be  ready  at  the  same  time. thats  a lot  to  think  about  in  a short  time.

maybe  lives  are  not  on  the  line but  livelihoods  are.

if  your  business  fails  you  have  five  ten  maybe  twenty  people  out  of  work. thats  a  lot  of  responsibility too

Answer 6

Beats me -- maybe they need to hire postal workers because they never get in a hurry and shoot everybody when they get 'stressed'.