Should I stay or should I go? Insights from a global survey on chefs' intention to leave.

Abstract

This report presents findings from a global study examining chefs’ intentions to leave their current roles and, in many cases, the profession altogether. Conducted in collaboration with The Burnt Chef Project, the study draws on survey responses from 460 chefs working primarily in the UK and other English-speaking markets, across independent restaurants, national and multinational chains, contract catering, and institutional settings. The findings provide one of the clearest quantitative and qualitative accounts to date of the drivers of attrition in professional kitchens. The results confirm that intention to leave among chefs is exceptionally high. Nearly seven in ten respondents (69%) report that they often or always consider leaving their job, with a further 27% doing so at least sometimes, indicating that exit thinking is near universal. These intentions are reflected in behaviour: two-thirds actively search for alternative employment, and more than four in ten do so frequently. Over half of respondents also consider starting their own business, often viewing self-employment as the only viable route to autonomy and sustainable working conditions. Work-family conflict emerges as a central driver of these intentions. Almost 70% of chefs report moderate or strong interference of work with home and family life, with a further fifth experiencing some interference. Similar patterns appear across indicators relating to disrupted personal plans, difficulty meeting family responsibilities, and emotional or physical exhaustion at home. The findings suggest that it is not only long hours that drive dissatisfaction, but the persistent intrusion of work into personal life. Despite these pressures, the data reveal ambivalence rather than rejection of the profession. Many chefs remain passionate about cooking, their teams, and the creative and social value of their work, yet feel that the prevailing employment model is no longer sustainable. Qualitative responses from over 150 chefs give depth to these patterns. Respondents describe toxic and abusive management cultures, including bullying, harassment, and gaslighting, across both independent and corporate settings. They report unpaid overtime, wage theft, chronic understaffing, and expectations of 60–80 hour working weeks. The mental health consequences are severe, with accounts of burnout, anxiety, depression, and, in some cases, suicidal ideation. Women chefs additionally highlight systemic sexism and limited organisational understanding of gender-specific health needs. At the same time, chefs point to examples of progress. Some organisations demonstrate that supportive leadership, better rota design, shorter working weeks, and paid closures can significantly improve wellbeing and retention, showing that change is possible. The report concludes that chefs’ intention to leave is a structural issue rather than a failure of individual resilience Addressing it will require redesigned roles and rotas, fair and transparent pay practices, stronger people-management capability, and targeted support for vulnerable groups. Without meaningful change, chefs will continue to seek sustainable careers elsewhere.