In recent months the culinary world has been rocked by reports of abuse inflicted on staff members at Noma, the restaurant often considered one of the world’s most influential. Though volatility in professional kitchens has long been documented, the details that have surfaced – of violence, public shaming and threats; the type of horrors common in food-centric dramas such as The Bear – have taken on extra significance given that Noma and its chef, René Redzepi, had the authority to stamp out these toxic behaviours rather than uphold them. At their worst, restaurants are maelstroms of flames and chaos.

But at their best, they can be a centre of community and creativity, and produce transcendent moments for their diners. Here, Monocle speaks to forward-thinking chefs and restaurateurs from five institutions about their efforts in striking the right balance between ambition, passion and creating safe, supportive environments in which their employees can thrive. These conversations have been edited for clarity and length.

Kwang Uh and Mina ParkCo-owners, Baroo Partners Uh and Park are revered in Los Angeles not only for their ambitious, fermentation-driven Korean menu but also for their progressive work practices. Kwang Uh and Mina Park (Image: Justin Chung) 1 / 2 Kwang Uh and Mina Park (Image: Justin Chung) 1 / 2 (Image: Carter Hiyama) 2 / 2 What measures have you introduced [in your kitchen] to create an equitable, supportive workplace?Mina Park: We offer good pay for the kitchen [staff] due to how big the tipping system is [for front of house] in the US. Our cooks make a higher-than-average hourly pay and we provide top-ups for our managers [to ensure] they’re never behind an employee who earns tips.

What’s equally important is that our cooks work 40 hours a week. Kwang Uh: I won’t ask my team to do anything I’m not willing to do myself. I set clear expectations and will follow up to make sure that things are on track.

But I also want my cooks to feel a sense of responsibility for their work and that what they do here is helping them develop. I have frequent one-on-ones to see how they’re doing. Kwang, you once considered becoming a monk.

Do you operate the kitchen with a monk’s mindset?KU: Being aware of every moment really helps with clear communication and focus. Buddhist ideas of compassion also help me be open to others and try to understand people from their own perspective, rather than be stuck on my own point of view. Ben ShewryChef and owner, Attica Attica, co-managed by Shewry, was one of the first restaurants to bring native Australian ingredients to global attention.

Shewry’s 2024 book, ‘Uses for Obsession: A Chef’s Memoir’, calls out the industry’s toxic attitudes. Ben Shewry (Image: Collin Page/Courtesy of Attica) 1 / 2 Ben Shewry (Image: Collin Page/Courtesy of Attica) 1 / 2 In the Attica kitchen (Image: Collin Page/Courtesy of Attica) 2 / 2 Why do you want Attica to be seen as one of the world’s best small businesses rather than as one of the world’s best restaurants? The world’s best restaurants often have some of the world’s worst business practices.

I will never allow the abhorrent things that have happened to me – bullying, harassment, verbal and physical assault – to occur under my ownership. When I took over, I wanted to draw a line in the sand, so I looked to companies in other fields for inspiration, including Patagonia [which is known for its fair labour practices and commitment to sustainability]. I couldn’t get around the idea that a culture of fear is somehow linked to elite performance.

There are many performance advantages when you have employees who are supported, paid properly and know they’re not [just] a number. How do you encourage staffers to take ownership of their mistakes – and how does doing so allow for better work?Our workplace grants people the freedom to express opinions without fear [of being] made to feel stupid for doing so. If they can’t do this, it’s very hard for them to feel secure when they actually fuck up, which we all do. [When] people feel comfortable enough to make their managers immediately aware of any issues, problems are addressed quickly.

Why do your staffers do weekly speeches?The front of house and kitchen used to be at odds and it would get fiery during service. The issue was that the teams didn’t know each other. We would never [reach] high performance unless we addressed this.

Staff speeches were introduced [about] 15 years ago. Everyone gathers for 20 minutes on Wednesdays and a different person presents to the group. Our head chef has spoken about his love of Richmond, the local AFL football team, and we’ve also heard about much harder things.

The day that someone told us about their experience of being bipolar was really touching. Standing in front of an audience and receiving positive reinforcement is empowering and being vulnerable builds empathy – and that passes over to our diners. Norma Listman and Saqib KevalChefs and co-owners, Masa