Can’t stand heat, chefs get out of the kitchen – and smoke
There’s no smoking inside Illinois restaurants. But what about outside, or around back?
You’re likely to find a number of the waitstaff and kitchen crew puffing away.
Forty percent of the people employed in the food and beverage industry smoke — nearly twice the national average, according to 2000 U.S. census numbers. And according to one estimate, hospitality workers have three times the average risk of lung cancer, which is 50 percent higher than any other industry.
Workers in hectic restaurant kitchens often attribute the prevalence of smoking to the fast-paced, stressful environment and a culture that long has tolerated cigarette breaks — but not taking a break for fresh air or mental health.
Also, smoking traditionally has accompanied a certain image of the chef lifestyle.
“There’s no question smoking is rampant in the culinary industry,” says Tony Priolo, chef and owner of Piccolo Sogno on North Halsted. “You get beat up [in the kitchen], so when you get a five-minute break, you go smoke really quick and then go back to work. It started out like that.”
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