We know what we have to do….to survive this industry
… Rationalize the time put in now and hope it all will pay off in experience.
… Don’t complain, earn nods because of our work ethic.
… Ignore personal health because our jobs demand it.
… Work ourselves raw in under-staffed kitchens.
… Leave family behind, watch friends dwindle over the years in the name of passion.
Kitchen Staff Reform Objectives:
● Uncover new opportunities to support our staffs and teams when they need help, and push for changes to the system by caring in new ways.
● Identify ways to help workers in crisis and to push for changes that will help the industry overall.
● Discuss how it has been scientifically proven that staff who feel supported will work harder and happier in the long run.
Cooks Who Care’s role:
Through our collective mantra of living healthy, we promote better-balanced work/life ratios and share benefits with establishments. You may not be able to pay staff more, but you can show them that you care about their wellbeing.
Getting started with healthy habits is easy, but staying consistent for more than a week is often difficult. Problems arise because people lack experience in creating sustainable, healthy lifestyle habits and because the food industry’s working culture has few support systems in place. Our professional group has chosen ambassadors will help professionals identify areas where they can help fellow food industry members take back control of their health so they can focus on enjoying what matters most to them at work and at home.
Our goal is to help change the unhealthy living styles that many busy people live with. We’ve all said phrases like: “After a long day, I deserve this _________ (unhealthy thing)," or, “I’m too tired,” or “I don’t have time.” It’s time to change that mindset. We want to influence our peers to change their habits for the better. We will assist in creating new cultural norms where employees can choose a healthier lifestyle in the new wellness network we collectively create with the support of their employers starting in Philadelphia.
About CWC
Cooks Who Care is a community-minded food industry group. Solution-focused, we develop a supportive network of forward-thinking F&B leaders with a goal to improve cultural norms within our industry, foster healthy lifestyles, and provide community resources to build career longevity.