Yes, there are many who say, “This is how it has always been done.” But we have to remember that as much as we stand on the shoulders of giants, those who went before us are counting on us to advance our profession and its culture.
Even before the pandemic struck, the sustainability of our careers and the profession itself felt like a battle to many chefs. This is the time for us to question the norms of our culture that do not serve us and let go of them. Then, perhaps, we can finally look forward to a quality of life that we are clearly denying ourselves now.
It is just a question of being honest and letting go: the vacuum will soon be filled by attitudes and ideas that will support us and ensure that we can keep doing what we love for as long as we wish, as part of a balanced, fulfilling life.