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Life and Art from FT Weekend
Asma Khan, the chef calling out restaurants’ bad behaviour
Sep 16, 2024
Asma Khan, chef and owner of London’s Darjeeling Express, shares her journey from home cook to influential restaurateur advocating for women in the culinary industry. She candidly discusses the toxic culture in fine dining, highlighting issues of sexism and racism while promoting a collaborative and inclusive kitchen environment. Asma emphasizes the importance of collective action against industry injustices, calls for ethical dining practices, and reflects on the emotional ties between food, identity, and memory.
24:53
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Quick takeaways
- Asma Khan challenges traditional fine dining hierarchies by creating a collaborative kitchen environment, emphasizing equity and ownership among her all-female staff.
- She highlights the pervasive issues of bullying, sexism, and racism in the culinary world, advocating for the empowerment and representation of women chefs to foster industry change.
Deep dives
Challenging Fine Dining Norms
Fine dining is often perceived as a glamorous world, yet it conceals a myriad of issues, particularly regarding the treatment of women and the workplace culture within kitchens. The restaurant industry is rife with aggression, bullying, and unconsented behaviors that thrive behind closed doors, going largely unaddressed. Chefs and kitchen staff endure environments where competition and hierarchy dominate, often leading to emotional and physical harm. Acknowledging these problems is essential for creating a safer and more equitable culinary landscape.
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