When the plate is full : aggression among chefs

Aggression within the culinary industry has been an ongoing and under reported issue among professional chefs, not only in Australia but also internationally. Limited research suggests that there is high prevalence of aggression/bullying within the culinary industry, and that this may be a product of a unique combination of physical, psychological, and environmental demands embedded in a culture where such aggression is normalised. The current, survey-based, study aimed to assess whether chefs were indeed more aggressive than the general population, and if so, to examine the factors of perceived stress, rank within the kitchen hierarchy, gender, and licit substance use to identify where any differences may lie. Ninety-one Central Queensland based, Australian, chefs were recruited as participants in this study, consisting of 67 males and 24 females. Participants were asked to complete a self-report survey containing the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire, a Workplace Stress Scale, and demographic questions pertaining to gender, rank, and alcohol and tobacco use. Results revealed that chefs were significantly more aggressive than a geographically similar general population. It was found that when looking at rank within the kitchen hierarchy, common chefs/line cook, particularly male chefs, were significantly more aggressive than other ranks within the kitchen. Conclusion and directions for future research are discussed.