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The Burnt Chef Project: burning away stigma, building a healthier hospitality industry

The Burnt Chef Project is the official charity partner of Elevate and will be exhibiting at the show, with their team on hand throughout the day to connect, share insights, and discuss the vital work they do supporting mental health in hospitality.

Hospitality is built on service, pace, and pressure. For many people, it is also built on a quiet expectation to “push through” long hours, difficult shifts, and high emotional load—often without a safe space to talk about how they are really doing. The Burnt Chef Project exists to change that.
Launched in May 2019, The Burnt Chef Project is a not-for-profit social enterprise set up with a clear purpose: to eradicate mental health stigma within hospitality and make it easier for people across the industry to access education, support, and practical resources

Why it was founded: a problem hiding in plain sight

The hospitality and leisure sector can be intensely rewarding—but it can also be relentless. Tight margins, demanding service windows, antisocial hours, and the constant pressure to perform can create an environment where stress becomes normalised and wellbeing conversations feel “off-limits”. The Burnt Chef Project’s founding message is straightforward: mental health should be treated with the same seriousness as physical health—and discussed openly, without judgement.

Their own research and wider engagement has consistently highlighted the scale of the issue, including how many hospitality professionals have experienced mental health challenges and how uncomfortable people can feel raising concerns at work.

The origin story: from observation to action

According to The Burnt Chef Project, it began after founder Kris Hall spent years watching close friends in hospitality struggle with the impacts of the job—often without the confidence to speak up. That experience became the catalyst to create something that would give the industry both a voice and a practical support system.

Kris has spoken publicly about his own mental health journey, and how personal experience helped shape the organisation’s focus on real-world, stigma-breaking action—not just awareness. Over time, what started as a mission to open up the conversation grew into a broader platform for training, resources, and support.

From grassroots campaign to a structured social enterprise

The Burnt Chef Project’s growth has been anchored in turning awareness into accessible support.

Key milestones include:

• Formalising the organisation: The Burnt Chef Project operates as a Community Interest Company (CIC), incorporated on 19 February 2020.
• Scaling support through partnerships: In February 2021, the project partnered with Mental Health Innovations to provide free, confidential 24/7 support for UK hospitality professionals via Shout’s text service (text “BURNTCHEF” to 85258).
• Funding the mission through trading: The organisation raises funds via merchandise and paid-for training/courses, reinvesting proceeds into free-to-access training and resources for the sector.

What they do today: education, resources, and practical support

While the message is rooted in stigma reduction, the work is deliberately practical. The Burnt Chef Project focuses on:

• Mental health awareness education designed for hospitality realities (operators, managers, teams, and future talent)
• Tools and resources to support individuals and workplaces to recognise issues early and respond well
• Culture change: helping businesses move from “cope and carry on” to a healthier norm where check-ins, policies, and support are part of everyday operations

This is not about adding another initiative to an already busy industry. It is about making wellbeing part of how hospitality sustains itself—through better conversations, better capability in leadership, and easier routes to support.

Why their work matters now

Hospitality is facing continued workforce pressure, retention challenges, and rising expectations from employees around culture and care. The Burnt Chef Project’s approach connects wellbeing directly to industry sustainability: healthier teams are more likely to stay, perform, and thrive—reducing burnout cycles and strengthening service delivery over time.

How businesses and individuals can get involved

The Burnt Chef Project actively encourages support from across the sector—individuals, venues, suppliers, and partners—because stigma is not removed by one organisation alone. People typically engage through fundraising, merchandise purchases, training participation, or workplace initiatives that embed better mental health practice into day-to-day operations.

To find out more about The Burnt Chef Project visit: The Burnt Chef Project | Hospitality Mental Health Awareness

The Burnt Chef Project is the official charity partner of Elevate and will be exhibiting at the show, with their team on hand throughout the day to connect, share insights, and discuss the vital work they do supporting mental health in hospitality.