drugs and alcoholism in the industry....

fryguy · #1 09-04-2009, 01:32 PM

i've been around the biz for over 30 years and have seen some crazy stuff. It seems that our industry has a much higher rate of drug and alcohol abuse, which i was a part of for many years. i'm currently 2 year sober, thank God for that one, and have several of my cooks who are struggling with this problem. You can do all the drug testing in the world but it is still there to a much larger extent than other indutries. what are your thoughts on this subject???? i'm sure i am much more sympathetic than most considering my back ground. How do you do food and wine parings if you don't drink?? this is something i'm dealing with that i have'nt got the answer to, except to just sorta fake it....

fryguy

ED BUCHANAN · #2 09-04-2009, 01:38 PM

You can PREDICT what a user of DRUGS will do, you can predict what the alcoholic or drinker will do. NO ONE (Doctor, law enforcement etc.) can predict that when you COMBINE the 2 ingredients, what that person will do or how they will act. For the sake and safety of my straight employees AND MY CUSTOMERS. I will not tolerate it in any setting. Sorry but that's the way I feel, call me old fashioned or whatever.

DON'T BLAME THE INDUSTRY, BLAME THE PEOPLE THAT DO IT.

leeniek · #3 09-04-2009, 02:45 PM

In all honestly I believe you should be straight and sober when you go to work and that goes for all industries not just ours. I have heard that our industry has a higher rate of drug and alcohol use/abuse than others and I wonder if it's the stress that does it to people.

even stephen · #4 09-04-2009, 03:58 PM

One simple rule.....never when working.....the trick is finding some sort of
moderate level......and absolutely "never when working".....I've seen plenty as well, from crack to heroin....it's sad.

lentil · #5 09-04-2009, 05:12 PM

I think it's about the hours people in the food and beverage industry keep. When your day starts sometime in the morning and ends well into the night, it's hard to be "normal". Your friends tend to be those in the same business as you are and it's common to go out after work to relax which usually means having a couple of drinks. I know when I was single, I spent a lot of time "relaxing" especially when I was tending bar and managing bars.

I'm just too darned tired at this age to do more than drive home and flop on the couch.....after I fold a load of laundry, empty the dishwasher, maybe cook a little dinner. These days, one drink will put me to bed.

leeniek · #6 09-04-2009, 07:39 PM

You have a good point, Lentil and after a shift in the heat of the war a drink is a nice way to relax. I'm too old for the drink thing.. my relax time is my ride home. I pay a little extra to buy a commuter train pass and I love it. It takes 10 minutes longer for me than the city bus but it's so quiet and peaceful and relaxing it's worth the extra fare and the ten minutes! I read my book call my hubby... I love my commute home.

trk · #7 09-05-2009, 12:58 AM

I was just recently interviewed for an incredible job opportunity as a Private Chef for a high profile client. One of the job essentials was the ability and knowledge to pair wine with food, particularly since this client has an extensive wine collection. I didn't know how to approach the question when it was posed FOUR times other than to say that I was somewhat knowledgeable about wine pairing and whatever I didn't know, I would be capable of researching. I certainly did not want to divulge that I have been sober for the last six years and would not, under any circumstances, compromise that achievement. Turned out that someone else got the job but it did bring up some disturbing concerns for me as this is my chosen field and clients such as this one often want wine savvy chefs at their service.

I find I am definitely in the minority as an ex-addict and drunk. While nearly everyone I have worked with and currently work with indulges in some sort of mood altering substance, I've yet to meet anyone on the job who is in recovery. It can be difficult when the gang is all heading out for a drink after work but it's been years since I've done that. I try to find ways to engage socially that do not involve alcohol.

I also stayed away from restaurant work and stuck exclusively with Private Chef work for at least four years after jettisoning booze and drugs. It's a hard life in restaurants and difficult to learn how to handle the stress without resorting to chemical relaxers. To that end, I've had to sacrifice higher paying, higher-stress positions in favor of those that fulfill me in the ways that matter most.

chefmikee · #8 09-05-2009, 01:53 AM

I have been sober for 19 years...Definetly difficult in this business, but I love waking up refreshed not hungover.People I work for and with all know I am sober and I have no problems with that. One thing I've learned is you can't change anyone but yourself, so don't try to change others.
This is the only work I love,and wouldn't think of ever doing anything else.

iconoclast · #9 09-05-2009, 08:07 AM

i came from a background in finance, and there was a great deal of alcoholism and drug abuse there... ppl who look straight-edge were some of the biggest abusers... i guess any industry that is fast paced or stressful will have its fair share of users and abusers.

mont86 · #10 09-06-2009, 02:36 AM

Its not just the food service, its everywhere...

Trifoilum · #11 09-06-2009, 07:27 AM

This's a big concern :\

anyone care to tell more about this? How hard is it if you're trying to be sober when everyone else probably isn't?

And wouldn't drugs and alcohol consumption affect work?

leeniek · #12 09-06-2009, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trifoilum

\

And wouldn't drugs and alcohol consumption affect work?

I think at some point it would. I hate the feeling of being hungover and I couldn't imagine being at work and having to focus in the fast pace of the kitchen while feeling hungup. Definitely not a good mix!

iconoclast · #13 09-07-2009, 07:36 AM

i agree completely, i am not a kid anymore and sitting in class hungover vs. being at work are two completely different things... i never drink if i have work the next day, and i wouldnt bother trying to come in either if i was hungover... i would be useless.

Just Jim · #14 09-07-2009, 08:40 AM

Never had a drinking problem, usually only special occasions.
I had a few when I went up to Portland last month, and a couple of beers in July, that's it so far this year.
Can't remember if I had a drink at all last year.
Did go through my speed, hallucinagenic and pot phases.
Out of all the things I've done, pot was the one I still enjoyed when I quit, the others I had grown tired of.
I quit smoking weed...it'll be 13 years next month.
I quit on my daughter's first birthday, so it's easy to remember.
I still have it offered to me from time to time, and I do pause for a moment, but I always strengthen my resolve and turn it down.
Obviously I still have some issues with it.

I've known some great cooks over the years that indulge in various things and still perform well, but they're the rare case.
I've also worked with some straight arrows that can't boil water consistently.

I've always told my people that all I care about is how they perform at work.
If they can lick cane toads and perform as I need them too, I have no issues.
But if they stay out too late stargazing, which is perfectly legal, and they call in or work slowly because of lack of sleep, then I have an issue with stargazing.

foodpump · #15 09-08-2009, 12:03 AM

In response to the original post, I think the building/construction trade--at least here in B.C. (British Columbia, Canada) has the highest amount of alcohol/substance abuse--while on the job.

Then again, it's been almost 14 years since I worked for anyone else, and even then I avoided Union kitchens like the plague, so maybe the hospitality biz here come a close second.

I like my booze, not a frequent drinker, but enjoy good wine, beer, and just about anything else. Never was big on drugs, even grass--tastes like buring rope....

The alcohol or drug abuser in the workplace is a hazard to all--to fellow employees, but also to the employer, as s/he will ultimately be at the wrong end of a lawsuit.

I've fired 3 employees in the last 10 years for being high/drunk at work. I always say the same thing to them:

"I don't care what you do on your time off. But if you have to drink/do drugs during an 8 hr shift you have serious problems."

Two of them tried to fight it and took it to the labour board. Stupid eejits--everyone knows we have a 3 month probation period here where either party can terminate without penalty......