Occupational identity and culture: the case of Michelin-starred chefs

Abstract

Purpose -This study seeks to conceptualise how the occupational identity and culture of chefs is constructed and maintained through both work and social interaction.Design/methodology/approach -The research follows a qualitative interpretivist approach; in total 54 unstructured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with Michelinstarred chefs in Great Britain and Ireland.Findings -Drawing upon the fieldwork, fresh insights into the social structures and processes which underpin the creation and maintenance of the occupational identity and culture of chefs are revealed in the chefs' own words.Theoretical implications -This study generates empirical data that informs contemporary debates about the role of work in identity formation with particular emphasis on the induction -socialisation process. In addition, the findings of this study suggest that identity and culture are interrelated in the sense that the cultural components of an occupational culture operate to reinforce a sense of identity among its occupational members.Practical implications -The findings suggest that Michelin-starred chefs have a strong occupational identity and culture. Strict rules and discipline are often used in kitchen brigades 2 as a means of monitoring quality and maintaining the high standards of performance. The occupational socialisation of new members is a long and painful process, that very often exceeds the limits of banter and it is analogous to the military induction. The phenomenon of bullying and violence in commercial kitchens is identified as an unacceptable behaviour that needs to be eliminated. This can be achieved with changes in the education and training of the young chefs and the strict enforcement of the anti-bullying policies.Originality/value -The understanding of chefs occupational identity and culture is critical for successful hospitality operations; nevertheless this is an under researched area. This study is unique in terms of scale and depth; it is expected to provide useful insights in both theoretical and practical perspective, regarding the formation of chefs' identity and culture in organisational settings.

Alcohol and other drug use in Michelin-starred kitchen brigades

“…Given their unique working environment and their interdependency, chefs and cooks form a distinctive occupational community (Burrow et al, 2015;Cooper et al, 2017;Mac Con Iomaire, 2008). Indeed, Bourdain (2000, p.124), refers to chefs as a 'tribe'.…”

Work(ing) artefacts: Tools of the trade, totems or trophies?

“…Salaman (1974) defines an occupational community as existing when people who are members of the same occupation or who work together have some sort of common life and are, to some extent, separate from the rest of society. As such, self-image is founded on an occupational role, which is shared and valued by a community and perpetuated through a formalised training and workplace socialisation process, whereby the values and behaviours of a work group are inculcated (see Cooper et al, 2017; Palmer et al, 2010 re chefs).…”

“…Extending this dimension of identity, creativity is also considered to be a key occupational sensibility, both in adaptive and innovative contexts, expressed, for example, in experimentation (Peterson and Birg, 1988; Robinson and Beesley, 2010). Cooper et al (2017) address the social structures and processes that underpin the creation and maintenance of the occupational identity and culture of chefs, focusing on rights and rituals in the workplace, including bullying and violence, as dimensions of the inculcation of newcomers into the culture of Michelin-starred restaurants (Burrow et al, 2015). Finally, there is the rhetoric pertaining to the managerial professional.…”

Gender barriers and facilitators faced by women chefs in the gastronomy and the `Haute Cusine' fields.

“…It is also very hierarchical and competitive with little space for feminine traits or emotion (Burrow, 2015;Druckman, 2010;Fine, 1996). Furthermore, becoming a known Chef has been compared to a military career (Cooper et al, 2017).…”

“…strict regulations and discipline are often followed in kitchen teams. Becoming a renowned Chef is a long and painful process that has been compared to the military profession (Cooper et al, 2017). Dornenburg and Page (2003) …”