How to deal with difficult chefs
If there are doctors who feel like gods, there are also chefs who feel like a godsend for gourmets and food lovers. Of course, with feelings like this it is not surprising to know that anger, irritability, mood swings and pride are often part of their nature. They may have culinary talents to whet the appetite and satisfy hunger, but they also have a bad temper to deal with.
Difficult cooks and their reasons
Let’s talk about the “crazy chef” stereotype.
One person you naturally think of when you hear about crazy chefs is chef Gordon Ramsay. You’ve seen his famous temper run wild on his hit reality TV show, Hell’s Kitchen, and you’ve also seen his chefs cower before the great chef and his equally awesome temper.
Although it’s all too tempting to think that it’s just an act, it really isn’t. “Mad chefs” are actually as real as “doctor gods”. That being said, what makes chefs more temperamental than others?
There’s no denying that a restaurant kitchen is one of the busiest work areas in any profession. People are always running around, shouting to be heard above the noise, and throwing things everywhere. On top of that, the chefs also have to move properly so that they serve all customers the way they expect to be served and prepare the dishes the way they expect to be prepared so they don’t leave disappointed.
In this fast-paced atmosphere, there’s no denying that tempers will fray, and nerves are indeed frayed, with many chefs looking forward to the end of their shifts to escape the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. And it all starts over the next day! The commotion in a restaurant kitchen is constant and can really get on anyone’s nerves. The busier the kitchen, the more infernal tempers become. Unfortunately, there are even some chefs who turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the daily pressures of a busy restaurant kitchen. This definitely does not help in any way as it makes the situation even more volatile.
Working with crazy chefs
Besides quitting your job, there are ways to deal with difficult chefs.
When dealing with difficult cooks, you should know that you yourself can get hurt. If you let his negative comments affect you, then you will surely feel the pain of his words. I know this is easier said than done, but with practice and a lot of patience, you can take his negative comments and turn them into something positive.
You also have to remember that their temperament is a part of themselves, not a part of you. So if the Mad Chef gets riled up, the best way to protect yourself from him is to think you’ve accidentally walked into the middle of his tirade.
It will also happen that your temper sometimes clashes with that of the mad chef. For this reason, it would be to your advantage to “count to ten” before opening your mouth and making the situation worse. If you’ve already said some mean things, breathe slowly and wait for your patience to return. It won’t help the situation if both of you clash. Remember that a negative response begets a negative response, so the more you respond with anger, the more heated the argument becomes. Reacting this way is a complete waste of energy and let’s face it, what you and the crazy chef are doing affects other people in the kitchen. Negativity is contagious, never forget that.
If you have found the strength to control your own temper and fight back, then wait for the mad chef to let off steam. In the meantime, put yourself in the place of the mad chef and look for valid reasons for his temper. It would also be very helpful for you to see some lessons from what happened and figure out ways to avoid future conflicts like this from happening again.
Finally, if the situation is finally over, never talk about it and stop repeating it to everyone you meet. No matter how juicy the retelling of what happened, it will not help the situation. If you feel the need to “let off steam”, write them down on a piece of paper. Just make sure you burn it afterwards, though, or throw it away so someone doesn’t pick it up and start a whole new argument.
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