Dealing with some of those issues, I came across a company called the Burnt Chef Project.
The Burnt Chef Project is based in the UK, but they have ambassadors all over the world, and I'm in the final stages of becoming one of those ambassadors.
I'm learning different things about how to handle mental health, not only for myself, but also with my team, and what the little triggers and tell-tale signs are, and how you can actually provide assistance. It’s important to have the right tools and the right answers that they need.
I've got a nice network of chefs in the restaurant and cafe industry that I know feel the same way about this topic, so I'm excited to see what my reach can do.
There's the age-old understanding that we would be abused and yelled at and screamed and hurt physically to train ourselves to be the best - but I think that mentality has really changed.
It's becoming more and more evident that a chef that's got a good state of mind and a good grasp of their creativity and their mental health can actually produce amazing food.
I don't speak to my staff as if they are lower than me, and I try to ensure that they are given praise and given guidance and compassion when they need it, and I found that it's really helped me retain staff for longer.”
Thank you Brett for your wise words. We look forward to hearing a lot more on this topic in the future.
