Cooking and Addiction

His chef’s uniform is still impeccably white even after several hours of work. He looks out to the floor of the restaurant noting the dinner rush of customers is starting to pour in. He ducks down and snorts something. As the diners come and go, he continues snorting something off his key several times throughout the night. That shift ends and he goes out to drink with his fellow chefs and waiting staff.

This scenario is more prevalent than you might think. According to SAMHSA’s 2015 CBHSQ report on substance use and disorder by industry,

“The highest rates of past month illicit drug use were found in the accommodations and food services industry. The workers in the accommodations and food services industry (16.9 percent) had the highest rates of past year substance use disorder.”

This is reflected as well in the celebrities in the food and cooking industry. Andrew Zimmern, made well known as the host of Bizarre Eats struggled with addiction and alcoholism.

“I’d rather not scare you too much but you’re living the life where you are constantly beat up, abused, abusing other people, doing something horrifically shameful and tawdry things that crater your soul – you give away pieces of yourself that you swear you would never do.”

He is not alone. Anthony Bordain of the show No Reservations struggled with heroin addiction at a young age. Chef Gordon Ramsy while never having a substance abuse problem knows the struggle addicts face after dealing with his own brother who was a heroin addict for years.

Addiction is a growing problem in this country and it seems many of our chefs may be on the front lines of dealing with addiction either firsthand or through trying to help a loved one or coworker.

Please call us today for information on the signs of drug abuse and/or assistance getting help for yourself or someone you know.