Though cooking is chef Leo Niehorster’s passion, working in a kitchen hasn’t always been a pleasant experience.
As an LGBTQ+ person, navigating the hospitality sector comes with added complications. It shouldn’t be this way, but in 2024, it remains a reality for many chefs and waiters alike.
‘I have struggled working as a chef in restaurants as an LGBTQ+ person. The issues in restaurant kitchens aren’t just about being LGBTQ+, it’s a general lack of diversity,’ 33-year-old Leo, who is bisexual and non-binary, tells Metro.co.uk.
‘I worked in two restaurants last summer, and apart from one other chef, they were all straight white men. Being radically different, socially and culturally, from everyone else in the kitchen was very isolating. I didn’t feel understood or supported.’
For Leo, being LGBTQ+ isn’t just about gender or sexuality: it’s about how they ‘navigate the world.’
‘For me, realising that my gender and sexuality didn’t fit the social ‘norms’ or what was expected of me made me question everything else about society,’ Leo, who lives in Swansea, adds.
Leo believes that extensive change is needed across the hospitality industry, and that it needs ‘queering’ on the whole.
‘The entire industry needs to be queered, especially old fashioned, traditional and “fine dining” kitchens,’ Leo details.
‘We need representation, especially leadership, from LGBTQ+ people, but not just from those who are willing to fit in and follow the social rules. We need chefs who want liberation, not assimilation, from the old-fashioned restaurant industry.’
Leo isn’t alone. Alex Somerville-Large, 26, who is based in Cambridge, is training to be a chef, and feels that the ‘kitchen banter’ culture is still very much in place across the industry – much to the detriment of LGBTQ+ people.
‘My experiences in the hospitality industry have been relatively positive so far, especially where I currently work – it is a positive and supportive environment,’ Alex, who is gay, tells Metro.co.uk.
‘Unfortunately, however, there is definitely still a kitchen ‘banter’ culture which often relies heavily on homophobic and sexist jokes, which can create an uncomfortable environment to be in.
‘Underrepresentation is another key issue. Over the past year I haven’t met a single other LGBTQ+ person working in the industry, which can of course feel a bit isolating at times.’
This Pride Month, though, change is hopefully on the horizon.
A new study by Deliveroo, which is launching The Open Kitchen – connecting aspiring LGBTQ+ chefs with leading talent across the community – has delved into the reality for queer and trans people across the industry, finding that 81% admit that in previous or current hospitality jobs, they’ve been the only openly LGBTQ+ person.
Likewise, only 56% feel they can be their true self working in the industry, while 61% said that they wouldn’t feel confident entering a workplace in which their community was underrepresented.
Critically, 65% of LGBTQ+ hospitality workers feel that there is still work to be done to make the industry a more inclusive place, and more than three quarters believe that it’s fundamental to have role models in the workplace who are also from the community.
Developed as part of a collaboration between Deliveroo and Queers in Food and Beverage, a network linking LGBTQ+ people working in the hospitality industry, The Open Kitchen will see mentors from LGBTQ+-owned Deliveroo partners pass on valuable lessons to budding LGBTQ+ culinary talent.
Rachel Rumbol, founded Queers in Food & Beverage, three years ago after experiencing a lack of representation from the queer community in the industry.
‘I started out as a commis chef, the lowest level chef, working in all male kitchens with nobody else visibly queer. It was hard and I preferred to be quite private and not disclose much about myself in general but in particular regarding my sexuality,’ 34-year-old Rachel, who lives in London, shares.
‘It was a harsh environment and very “laddy” and I just felt I had to keep my head down, which was really hard and I used to think a lot about whether I should just quit and do something else.
‘As I got more experience I sought out more female-run kitchens and found in those spaces I could be more myself and met more LGBTQ+ people there. I now run my own catering company and am so happy to be able to give a positive working culture for others.’
Equally involved with the initiative, Tim Vasilakis is the founder of The Athenian and has volunteered his time as a Deliveroo Open Kitchen mentor.
‘Being part of such movements allows us to show that success and authenticity are not mutually exclusive,’ 40-year-old Tim, who is a gay man living in London, concludes.
‘For minority groups, having visible, positive role models is crucial—it communicates that dreams are attainable and that our place in this industry is both valid and necessary. It’s about breaking down barriers and creating a landscape where LGBTQ+ people feel seen, heard, and safe.
‘We must not become complacent; we need to keep pushing forward, ensuring that the strides we’ve made are not only preserved but expanded upon for future generations. The fight for equality is ongoing, and it demands our unwavering commitment.’
This Pride Month, Deliveroo has created the Open Kitchen Fund, a sponsorship programme that provides aspiring talent with professional culinary training. It ultimately aims to tackle the issue of underrepresentation in commercial kitchens across the UK, as just 4% of chefs identify as LGBTQIA+.
Due to increased demand, Deliveroo has today extended the fund, increasing its donation to open up one additional place. The Open Kitchen Fund will sponsor a total of six emerging chefs from the LGBTQIA+ community, from across the country. To apply, fill out the form HERE.
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