If we “normies” have learned anything from The Bear, it is that working in a professional kitchen is not for the fainthearted. Perhaps there’s less shouting and familial drama, but the stressful environment is definitely there. According to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant and food service industry accounts for 10% of the total U.S. workforce.

But working in restaurants comes with its own joys and challenges. There’s the high turnover rate, demanding customers, incompetent prep cooks, and accidental spills that make you want to crawl inside the Earth’s crust and never come back. The folks at “Kitchen Confidential” have seen it all, and if you’ve ever cried in a walk-in freezer, these posts might be relatable to you, too.

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#1 Dishwasher Sheepishly Asked For Some Fries. This Is What I Made For Him

Started with a sour cream based avocado mousse followed by fries tossed in NC BBQ spice and topped New York strip, cheese, long cut pico de Gallo and chives.

We take care of our dishes around here.

#2 Server Came Back And Said They Had A Guest Who Was Autistic And All They Wanted Was A Tower Of Grilled Cheese. I Was More Than Happy To Oblige

#3 I’m A Health Inspector (Sorry Everyone). This Restaurant Today Had A Walken Cooler

When we’re talking about the harsh demands of the restaurant industry, we’re talking about the insane hours that the kitchen staff have to work. Chefs, for example, work 50 or more hours a week, and they don’t get days off like regular office folks. Nights, weekends, and holidays are workdays, too. Some chefs work 12 to 14-hour shifts seven days a week.

Officially, a chef’s workday is only eight hours, but hardly any chef can just clock out at the end of those eight hours. Working in a kitchen means you either have to cover for a sick or absent colleague, wait until all the diners clear out (sometimes there is a rush before closing), and stay overtime for an hour or more to clean up.

#4 86 Cherries

#5 The Dedication On My New Book

#6 I Think I’ve Struck Gold, This Is The View From My New Kitchen’s Smoke Spot!

You might think that it’s not all that bad if you’re making decent money. Well, it all depends on your position. Chefs and head cooks earn an average of $60,990 per year, or $29.32 per hour. But that’s when you have five or more years of experience under your belt. Line cooks, for example, earn $35,760 per year, or $17.19 per hour. Those who work in fast food earn even less, around $14 an hour.

For some, it’s worth it; some cooks are really passionate about their work and are, according to a common saying, “married to their job.” Others, however, see how problematic it is: work-life balance is practically non-existent, the pay is low, the work hours are brutal, and there are few signs that indicate the industry is going to change.

#7 Honor The Regulars!!!

#8 God Bless

#9 Good Morning 😃

Two things can be true at the same time: chefs love their jobs but find such a work model unsustainable. According to a 2026 survey of 460 chefs globally by Bournemouth University and The Burnt Chef, 69% of chefs think about leaving their current role often or all the time. Two-thirds also admit that they actively search for jobs online, and many do so often.

#10 Painfully Accurate 💯

#11 I Asked One Of My Cooks To Make Deviled Eggs

#12 Our Pizza Cook Is Moving. Bakery Team Absolutely Nailed It

A lack of work-life balance is an old and well-known issue in the industry. That same survey by Bournemouth University showed that 70% of chefs say that work interferes with their personal and family life a great deal. Many kitchen workers find that they often have to miss milestones and disappoint family members. As it becomes harder and harder to juggle family life and work, many decide to quit or pursue other careers.

#13 Eyeballed My Sugar In Front Of Chef. “That’s About 600g”. Chef: “You Sure About That?”

#14 Almost Cried On The Line Tonight

#15 I Just Got Hired As A Cook At A Nice Italian Restaurant. This Job Means A Lot To Me And My Girlfriend Just Surprised Me With This!! 😭❤️

A professional kitchen is not a cushy office; there’s often no HR to protect them from management taking advantage of their position. In bigger establishments, Human Resources might be present, but smaller joints don’t even have such a department. That’s why worker mistreatment is rampant in the industry.

#16 $700 Charcuterie Board We Prepped For A Client

#17 Buddy Texts Me After A 12 Hour Shift

#18 Asked For These To Be Sliced In Half For Hot Dogs

As kids, many of us watched Gordon Ramsay rip young chefs a new one and called it entertainment. However, there’s nothing entertaining about giving your subordinates ulcers, PTSD, and leading with fear. Sadly, this is still the reality for many kitchen workers. Some chefs shared their traumas with the researchers from Bournemouth University, with one recalling how his head chef verbally attacked a young chef for having a panic attack. “How dare you have a panic attack in my restaurant?” was the boss’s reaction.

#19 Got Sent Home For Not Taking Notes During Preshift. My “Notes” Every Day Since:

#20 Asked My Chef How He Needed Veg Diced

#21 Gm Told Me Cracking A Double Egg Means I Knocked Someone Up, And Brother I’m Shakin In My Nonslip Clogs

Despite all of those hardships, professional kitchen workers seem to be pressing on. Maybe “Kitchen Confidential” helps them vent their frustrations so they can come to work with a clear head the next day? We certainly hope so! And we hope seeing the secrets and inside jokes from the restaurant industry helps you appreciate the work that kitchen professionals do. If you feel like you haven’t seen enough of the inner workings of a professional kitchen, check out our previous publications about “Kitchen Confidential” here, here, and right here!

#22 The Girl Who Usually Works Sauce Asked Me Why I Was Pan Frying The Cod… This Is An Absolute 116g Monster Of A Scallop

#23 Carrot Brunoise Practice: The Final Cut

#24 Worst Spill I’ve Had To Date

#25 Made A Waitress Some Grub Past Closed After A Busy Friday, Got This Message

#26 What Do You Call This Thing For Clearing The Fryers? I Got In Trouble With The Gm For Calling It The “Abortionator”

goshyarnit:
Lovingly referred to as “have you seen the fryer… stick… hook… thing” while vaguely gesturing it’s size with your hands.

#27 I Goofed Up

#28 I Got 99 Problems And A Touch Screen Fryer Is One Of Them!!!

#29 This Is A Real Knife That Is Used By The Fish Cutter At My Current Job. He’s Been Using It For 35 Years

#30 My Chef – We Don’t Need A Dish Washer It’ll Be A Slow Night

#31 Cutting A Cup Of Chives Ever Day Until This Reddit Says They’re Perfect. Day 3

#32 When You Accidentally Happen To Be The Only Food Truck At A Massive Outdoor Market Event

#33 Just Witnessed Some Big Bug Kamikaze Directly Into My Fryer. Don’t Worry I’m Discarding The Oil

#34 First Day At A Michelin Star Restaurant, Chef Had Me Whittle Some “Romaine Plugs” Is This Standard Practice Anywhere Else?

#35 Seriously, Michael. I’m Done

#36 Frick Doordash Special Requests [leave] If You’re A Regular Or Say Thank You

#37 This Is Why We Hate People

#38 Meatball Braise…

#39 Asked The New Guy To Put Ice In The Soda Fountain Machine

#40 When A Server Is Complaining To You About “Only” Making $200 In Tips In Their 5 Hour Shift

#41 Psa To My Coworkers, The Plates Should Look Like This Before You Put Them In The Dishwasher

#42 How The Bartender Labels Their Fruit

#43 For Halloween, I Dressed Up As The Guy Who Spilled 4l Of Extra Reduced Down Lobster Stock

#44 Who Woulda Thought?

#45 Bleach To “Sanitize” Lettuce? Is That A Thing Or Is My Boss Poisoning People?

Satakans:
To my understanding (not in the US so check your local regulations), bleach in a MEASURED ratio is acceptable for things like cleaning produce and to serve as sanitizer solution during service.
But again, this should be measured not just chuck a capful in a sink of water and hope for the best.

#46 This Is Staging Behind My Store And My Staff Just Dipped Out…

#47 Laugh Reacts Only

#48 Server Came To The Back With This Note Asking What We Can Make Her 😭

#49 My Dishwasher Is A Prisoner Of The Dish Pit

#50 15 Y/O Son Made This

#51 Mid Service Last Night, One Of My Cooks Slowly Walks Up To Me, Giggling, And Goes “I Made This For You”

He was cutting pork belly, this was all the rendered fat in the pan. Love this kid.

#52 I Was So Confused Seeing A $99 Kids Meal

#53 I Work In An Upscale Seafood Restaurant And Get Order Like This All Day

#54 Heat Stroke On My First Day

#55 Someone Cut The Front Off My Cake The Night Before The Order Was Due

#56 This Is Insane I Just Got Handed A Laminated Allergy Sheet For 1 Single Person

#57 Chef Burned A Case And A Half Of Duck

#58 Apparently This Is A “Massive Mess” That Is “Wasting Product” And Will “Throw Off Inventory For The Week”

#59 Coworker Roasted My Knife Over The Burner So He Can Cut Styrofoam

#60 Drunk Man Was Convinced The Foh Woman Was His Soulmate

#61 Coworker Was Asked To Slice Strawberries. Now We’ve Got Six Quarts Of Anuses

#62 An Allergy Notification Card I Received On One Of The Busiest Nights In December

#63 The One Brave Chef Resisting The Urge To Put Hot Honey On Every Menu Item

#64 I Am Not Prep Cook. I Am Chip Girl

#65 Weird Marks While Cleaning The Flattop?

#66 Low Effort Meme After A Shifty Day

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