Why do professional chefs all seem to have a temper?

[YUPPIE]

Okay so while Gordon Ramsay is nowhere near the exaggerated hothead he likes to present himself in some TV shows, in reality he does have a fierce temper and is very quick to criticize, especially those learning under him. When I was a kid, I thought this was his stick, but found out it's not all too uncommon in chefs that run famous kitchens or restaurants.

Makes me wonder, if it is a common thing, wouldn't it be really stressful to work under those conditions? Of course some people have been seen crying and running out but others just keep going.

[De Lupe]

As a kitchen worker of twelve years, I feel safe in my conclusion...

We put all of our heart and soul into the meal so we have none left for other people.

[Deleted]

It's a stressful job.

loads of things have to be timed perfectly.

No point in having the steak done 20 minutes before everything else that goes on the plate, and so on.

so since everyone is working on timing everything perfectly, a little screwup from a colleague can fuck up all you've done... and thus you yell at them, because apparently that helps!

[hrugner]

I have a very mild temper and cooked at a diner for a bit. I can say that being even keeled does you a disservice when trying to meet speed and quality standards in a kitchen. I just couldn't stay amped for a whole shift the way the angrier cooks could. On the other hand, I was the only cook who wasn't divorced at least once.

[Bayuriel]

Try it yourself sometime, shit's intense.

[Deleted]

I only know little about how a kitchen works but I suppose they are under a lot of pressure. So you either get crushed or put some of that pressure somewhere else.

[Celista]

Anthony Bourdain is basically the chef you'll find in most kitchens in the US (a little bit of Gordon Ramsay's temper thrown in for good measure). Kitchens are shitty places to work. You're dealing with a million things at once, it's hot, kitchen staff typically work long hours, deal with temperamental customers (either directly or indirectly) as well as front of house staff. On top of things, they tend to have a bit of an ego (if it's a higher end restaurant) and have a substance abuse problem (or two).

A certain type of person makes a career in restaurant work and that type of person is typically a bit of a mess. Chefs make great friends, however! Especially if you are any sort of foodie.

[Deletedaccount1]

Anthony Bourdain is basically the chef you'll find in most kitchens in the US (a little bit of Gordon Ramsay's temper thrown in for good measure). Kitchens are shitty places to work. You're dealing with a million things at once, it's hot, kitchen staff typically work long hours, deal with temperamental customers (either directly or indirectly) as well as front of house staff. On top of things, they tend to have a bit of an ego (if it's a higher end restaurant) and have a substance abuse problem (or two).

That's the big one tbh

[Krawu]

Consider what a chef with an actual star rating is. An artist and usually a perfectionist who has to rely on other people to create his art under time pressure.

Have you met people? They're all idiots. I think I'd go crazy within a week.

Multiply all of this by ungrateful customers, shitty and long work hours and potentially celebrity status and you've got the perfect recipe for unfriendly douchebaggery.

so since everyone is working on timing everything perfectly, a little screwup from a colleague can fuck up all you've done... and thus you yell at them, because apparently that helps!

I like that one, makes it easy to draw a comparison to a raid environment in WoW.
Imagine a raid team where every wipe means an angry customer and a poor review when your livelyhood is reliant on your raid nailing each boss 1st try. Now imagine being the raid leader of that raid and tell me you could actually stay friendly.

[Slant]

Imagine you're making the best food on the planet... and don't get to eat it. You'd be pissed, too. :P

[shadowmouse]

Hot, tired, likely dehydrated, may have various cuts and burns, table number 7 is being difficult, and they're down two staff. Things get worse from there.

[Mihalik]

Most people who are really good at their jobs end up developing an ever shorter fuse over the years, having to constantly put up with mouthbreathers surrounding you.

Only in very few environments you are lucky enough to be working with equals.

[Kokolums]

Okay so while Gordon Ramsay is nowhere near the exaggerated hothead he likes to present himself in some TV shows, in reality he does have a fierce temper and is very quick to criticize, especially those learning under him. When I was a kid, I thought this was his stick, but found out it's not all too uncommon in chefs that run famous kitchens or restaurants.

Makes me wonder, if it is a common thing, wouldn't it be really stressful to work under those conditions? Of course some people have been seen crying and running out but others just keep going.

Actually, there's a lot of research by psychologists that point out that the BEST leaders and the BEST people for the job have low social status. So its not so much that they are all angry but they don't get along well with others. You wouldn't think that at first. Your instinct (which is surprisingly totally wrong) is to say people who get along with others make the best leaders and are the best at their jobs. Nope.

You see, as it turns out, the KEY FUNDAMENTAL flaw of the human condition is corruption. Corruption is what holds most people back. Corruption is where the best choices are very clear but they do something else because their motivation has been corrupted by another goal. The #1 cause of corruption is actually the desire to hold and maintain high social status. So what happens is you put someone who gets along great with everyone in as the leader, and they actually start failing at their job (compared with someone with low social status) because whenever a job goal conflicts with maintaining high social status, they are much more likely to maintain their social status.

So now you put someone with low social status in as the leader. They are much less likely to give a crap about their social status. They actually FOCUS on the job they need to do and get better results. And THAT is why all the best chefs seem gruff, angry, and have low social status.

There was a masterpiece of fiction written in the 20th century detailing this phenomenon called "I, Claudius". It is about the First Roman Emperors. The first ones were all terrible at running the empire because they all had high social status and spent way too much time maintaining it instead of running the empire correctly. So its basically a bunch of thugs killing each other and scheming to expand their power base. Everyone in the family was like that except for Claudius. Claudius had low social status. He read books and was more intellectual. The rumors swirled he was mentally impaired. Well, all the other males in the family had been killed and he was last in line. The Senate was furiously objecting at having to crown him empreror and wanted to go with someone outside the family instead. The military was sick of the killing and gang banging and forced the senate to crown Claudius. Claudius of course was difficult to work with but becomes the first truly great Emperor and greatly expands and enriches the Roman Empire.

Its a good lesson. The public usually finds true leaders abhorrent, dangerous, or just downright strange and they wind up seeking high social status leaders which is totally the wrong path. The 2016 presidential election is pretty interesting because Donald Trump is the embodiment of a low social status guy. He's basically Claudius. The intelligentsia is revolting against Trump just as the Roman Senate revolted against Claudius. By the book, you want Trump as your president. He should be gruff but immensely effective at bringing prosperity. Voting Trump in as president is basically the same as putting Chef Ramsay in charge of your kitchen. He has the perfect temperament and social status to get results. But the public usually gets this totally wrong and goes with the high social status person that will suck.

[zenkai]

When you're a professional and you have to deal with incompetent people making stupid mistakes, it's frustrating.

[Deleted]

It's a stressful job.

When you're a professional and you have to deal with incompetent people making stupid mistakes, it's frustrating.

There are a lot of as, if not more stressful jobs out there, and not all the people, professionals, in those professions are complete assholes. There seems to be something about thinking you can fry a piece of meat like some God that makes you just completely unbearable, though.

Ironically, in that sense, chefs are definitely above the rest of us. It's just that they're above the rest of us in being douchebags.