The Burnt Chef Journal

Stress, irregular working hours, drugs and alcohol are not good for your health - people who work in nightlife are much more exposed to these risk factors than others. According to a 2021 study, for example, almost 66% of DJs and electronic music artists have suffered from burnout at least once during their career - but it's rarely talked about. It's time to break this taboo! What is the best way...

TW: Suicide On this episode of The Burnt Chef Journal, Kris Hall is joined by Alice Hendy MBE, founder of Ripple Suicide Prevention Charity.  Alice started R;pple in 2020, after losing her only sibling, Josh, to suicide at 21 years old. R;pple is an online interceptive tool that has been downloaded over a million times and saved countless lives. It displays a message of hope and a selection of men...

TW: Abuse This week, Kris Hall is joined by Angelika Breukers, a trauma-informed transformational coach, whose personal journey has led to her signature ABC Change For Life programs which supports amazing people, who are going through a difficult time in life and need encouragement to leave your past behind so that you can move forward positively and be in control of your life. This episode is a v...

In this episode of The Burnt Chef Journal, we’re joined by Ian Lay, a passionate advocate for mental health in hospitality and a dedicated supporter of The Burnt Chef Project. Drawing on his extensive HR expertise, Ian sheds light on mental health challenges within the industry and explores how leadership styles can make a transformative impact. As an ultra-marathoner, Ian shares how personal resi...

Alice Cheng  is the Founder and CEO of Culinary Agents, the hospitality industry's go-to professional community and trusted hiring platform. Her journey began in hospitality, where early jobs sparked a passion for helping others overcome both job-seeking and hiring challenges. From mailroom temp to global marketing executive, Alice then honed her business skills during a 13-year tenure at IBM, whe...

This week, joining The Burnt Chef Project founder, Kris Hall, we have Chef Kirk Bachmann.  Chef Bachmann is President and Provost of The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, Colorado doing what he loves most - sharing his passion for the craft of cooking and serving students from all walks of life on their respective journeys to becoming “cooks for life.” As a teen, Chef Bachmann...

Ahead of Stress Awareness Week, we caught up with Carole Spiers. CEO and Founder of Carole Spiers Group, Carole is recognised as a world leading authority on wellbeing and stress at work. She is the media’s first choice for comment on workplace stress issues and best-selling author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’ and ‘Show Stress Who’s Boss!’ Carole’s focus is on developing a health...

This week on The Burnt Chef Journal, Kris Hall is joined by Jen Hidinger-Kendrick, Founder of Giving Kitchen. Giving Kitchen is a food service community meeting crisis with compassion and care. Their mission is to provide emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources. Giving Kitchen grew out of a beyond-expectation response to the devas...

Do you know how to maximize strategic engagement in the workplace? Listen in as we discuss: 👉 What can businesses do to make sure employees understand and buy into the organisation’s mission, vision, and strategic objectives? 👉 How important is it to clearly communicate how individual roles contribute to the overall success of the business? 👉 Is it important to acknowledge and reward employee c...

This week, we welcome Chef Jon Watts.  At 18, Jon found himself being sentenced to 6 ½ years in a young offenders institute. During his time in custody, with help, he changed his mindset and his mentality. As part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award he learnt to cook, and went on to become the first person in custody to achieve a Bronze, Silver and Gold award. Two weeks before his release he was awar...

A hospitality highlights episode discussing maximising human potential, and why it is important in today's world.   Our guests alongside hosts Kris Hall  and Cara Houchen are: ⭐ Alex Atwood , a purpose-driven leader & entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality and staffing space. Alex is also a coach in the emerging psychedelics field whose focus is on optimizing hu...

In this episode of The Burnt Chef Journal, Kris Hall is joined by Chris Blaine, the CCO of workforce management platform Planday.   Listen in as we discuss the evolving attitudes of shift workers post-COVID, the importance of building trust and connection between managers and employees, and the unique challenges and perspectives of the younger Gen Z workforce entering the hospitality industry.   T...

We have put a slight spin on this week's episode, as Kris Hall, the founder of The Burnt Chef Project , becomes the interviewee during an insightful interview on DubaiEye 103.8 . Kris discusses his mission to tackle mental health issues within the hospitality industry, as well as the challenges faced by chefs and hospitality workers, the project's impact, and his vision for a healthier work enviro...

Joining our hosts Kris Hall and Cara Houchen on this episode of Hospitality Highlights we have: ⭐ Libby Paynton - Marketing & Sustainability Manager of United Fresh ⭐ James Burton - Senior Sous of Pig and Butcher in Islington. We will be diving into an insightful discussion on The Burnt Chef Project's mission, services, and impact on the hospitality industry. 🗣️ Our guests will share persona...

This week we're delving into the remarkable journey of Adam Simmonds, a renowned chef who has weathered the storms of addiction, burnout, and personal challenges. Through raw and open conversation, Adam shares his experiences of hitting rock bottom, finding clarity in international adventures, and ultimately, reclaiming his passion and purpose in the hospitality industry. Adam also shares the news...

✨ Hospitality Highlights ✨   Our hosts Kris Hall and Cara Houchen are joined by:   ⭐ Daniel Lee - Daniel’s heritage of English, Irish, and Cantonese combined with his passion and love for travel has enabled him to gain experience and techniques from all different cultures and cuisine to create a unique approach to his dishes - taking inspiration not just from the foods he has discovered on his...

In this episode, our host and The Burnt Chef Project founder, Kris Hall, sits down with Chef Ayesha Kalaji, a classically French-trained chef specialising in modern Middle Eastern cuisine. Ayesha shares her personal journey from academia to the culinary world, and her passionate advocacy for mental health awareness and positive change within the hospitality industry. The discussion covers topics s...

Having started her journey working at the one Michelin star ‘Adams’ Restaurant in Birmingham. Louisa then made the career-defining decision to apply for MasterChef - The Professionals in 2017, making it to the finals! Three years later in 2020, she was invited back to compete once again in MasterChef – The Rematch! This time taking home the trophy, with Michelin star chef Marcus Wareing hailing he...

In this episode, Alan Tompkins, The Burnt Chef Project's first ambassador down under, and now currently Chief Ambassador for Melbourne Australia, sits down with founder Kris Hall to discuss his path from a challenging kitchen career to becoming a key advocate for mental health in the hospitality industry. Alan opens up about his own struggles with mental health and PTSD, the reasons behind his car...

Joining our hosts Kris Hall and Cara Houchen we have: ⭐ Scot Turner, Founder of Auden Hospitality In March 2022, Scot created Auden Hospitality with a mission to help hoteliers think differently about their F&B operations to create outlets their guests will love. All while doing this with a people-centric approach, Scot worked with The Burnt Chef Project as an Ambassador to improve the condit...

In this episode of "Hospitality Highlights" recorded live on LinkedIn for Alcohol Awareness Week, we delve into the often-overlooked realities of alcohol harm experienced by hospitality workers. From bartenders to servers, these frontline employees share their personal stories and insights on how alcohol impacts their lives and work environments. Join us as we explore the challenges they face, the...

Tune in to another episode of ✨ Hospitality Highlights ✨, as our hosts Kris Hall and Cara Houchen are joined by: ⭐ Simon Numphud FIH, Managing Director of AA Media ⭐ Rebecca Marshman, Group Head Pastry Chef of BaxterStorey

Join us for an engaging episode as we sit down with Kate Nicholls OBE, the CEO of UKHospitality. Kate shares her insights on leading the hospitality industry through challenging times, the innovative strategies that have shaped her leadership, and her vision for the future of UKHospitality. From navigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to addressing the evolving needs of customers and busine...

Our Hospitality Highlights hosts Kris Hall and Cara Houchen are joined by: ⭐ Laurie A. Watkins, CEO & Founder, The Cook’s Collective ⭐ Pawel Kukulka, Director at People Person Recruitment   Tune in as we discuss how we can empower those who work in hospitality to be the ones to drive change and why it's important to celebrate the progressive and trailblazing workplaces, whose team's wellbein...

Are consumers wanting new experiences for their money? Our host, Cara Houchen, is joined by guest speakers: ⭐ Adam Degg, Head Chef & Host of Fifty Two at Rudding Park ⭐ James Knight-Paccheco, Co-Founder of Group JKP   Join in the discussion around the rate of closures within the UK, and whether there is an appetite for new openings. 💭