Chefs who changed course

Working as a chef can be creative and rewarding when people love your food, but it can also be demanding, requiring long and antisocial hours.

In this programme we hear about the highs and lows of working in some of the world’s best kitchens, and why it ultimately isn’t right for everyone.

Ruth Alexander speaks to three chefs who chose to leave the profession. Former head chef Philip Barantini in the UK is now a TV and film director, his film Boiling Point, released in 2021 is about a chef struggling to run a successful restaurant. Genevieve Yam left behind Michelin starred restaurants in New York to become a food writer, she’s currently culinary editor at the website Serious Eats. Riley Redfern was a pastry chef in Michelin starred restaurants in San Francisco and New York, having lost her job in the pandemic, today she has a new career as a software developer.

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme, such as alcohol and drug dependance, you can access support via the BBC Action Line page - https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/

Excerpts from Boiling Point used courtesy of Vertigo Releasing.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Produced by Beatrice Pickup.

(Image: chef cooking with open flame in frying pan in a professional kitchen. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)