Search

AbstractThis study explores how female chefs in professional kitchens manage food waste in their predominantly masculine occupational culture. By adopting the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model and applying the method of in-depth, semi-structured interviews (n = 20), the study reveals the complex interplay of personal, organisational, and contextual influences on how female chefs in Turkey and England manage food waste. The study highlights the significance of proximal processes, and organisational and occupational socialization in shaping food waste management practices of female chefs. The study underscores the importance of gender dynamics, organizational size, and occupational culture in these practices. The need for integrating resourcefulness training in preparation for future generations of chefs is highlighted. The findings enable a better understanding of how professional kitchens can be advanced towards the fulfilment of such sustainable development goals as gender equality and resource efficiency. The study emphasizes the need to consider a broader cultural context in future research on sustainability in tourism and hospitality. It suggests a comparative gender analysis to examine the unique challenges that female chefs encounter in food waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout their career, chefs develop practices for food waste mitigation, but little is known about how these practices occur and evolve. This study draws upon the social practice theory, social leaning theory and ecological systems theory to explore the lifelong experiences of food waste and its management among 44 chefs in England, Indonesia, Poland, and Russia. The study highlights the multiple environments in which chefs develop the practice of food waste management. The main points for intervention within a lifelong experience of chefs where they start recognising the significance of food waste and develop skills for its mitigation are identified. The study showcases family and senior chefs/supervisors as the key actors of learning who shape the meanings of food waste among chefs and provide them with competencies towards its management. The role of education providers in preparing chefs for dealing with food waste in professional kitchens is established as limited. • Chefs develop the practice of food waste management throughout their lifelong experience and career. • Meanings of food waste management are mostly formed in childhood. • Competencies and materiality are mostly formed early in professional career. • Parents, senior chefs and supervisors are the key actors of learning. • Education providers play a limited role in shaping chefs' food waste management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Holistic outlook on food waste management in professional kitchens from the perspective of practice theory. • Chefs assign different meanings to food waste, and these depend on norms, beliefs, values, and cultural traits. • Resourceful cooking facilitates food waste prevention and reduction. • Materiality is essential for food waste management but is under-researched. • Current and prospective chefs need to be trained for practices to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kitchen is a gendered realm dominated by masculine culture, but some female chefs challenge this norm by introducing soft skills. This paper conceptualizes the multilayered cultural realm of food waste management in professional kitchens and pinpoints the critical role of individual gender traits of chefs in food prevention and reduction ('preduction'). The paper outlines directions for future research on the gender-related position of chefs. • Multiple layers of culture: national, organizational, and occupational shape food waste management. • The occupational culture of chefs dominates food waste prevention and reduction. • Perspectives of established chefs on food waste and its management influence the vision of junior chefs. • Work in professional kitchens is gendered and linked to food waste. • The links between masculine, feminine, and non-binary traits of chefs and food waste should be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]