Nora Bouazzouni’s new book reveals the dark truth inside French kitchens—violence, racism, harassment, and exploitation. Based on real testimonies since 2020.
Nora Bouazzouni’s book “Violence in the Kitchen” was published in May.
It has shaken the French food world.
Why?
Because it exposes what many chefs, cooks, and kitchen staff have been silently enduring for decades.
What’s Inside the Book?
Bouazzouni collected testimonies from restaurant workers across France since 2020.
Here’s what she uncovered:
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Chefs physically assaulting staff during service
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Hot pans thrown at employees
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Hands deliberately burned for making mistakes
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Verbal abuse and public humiliation
If You're a Woman in a French Kitchen
You face constant sexual harassment:
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Lewd comments on your appearance
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Daily groping
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A reported rape inside a walk-in cooler
If You're a Person of Color
You deal with:
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Racist jokes and slurs
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Unequal treatment
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Exploitation based on your background
What’s the Common Thread?
Dehumanization.
Bouazzouni says,
“The stories that hit me hardest were the ones where the goal was to strip people of their humanity. That’s how they get away with exploiting them.”
Why This Book Matters
French cuisine is world-famous.
But what’s the cost behind the prestige?
Few outside the industry knew the extent of this abuse.
Now the silence is breaking.
Ask Yourself
Would you accept this behavior in any other workplace?
Why do we still excuse it in professional kitchens?
This Isn’t Just a French Problem
Toxic kitchen culture has been exposed for years in the UK, the US, and other European countries.
Bouazzouni’s book forces France to look in the mirror.
Will anything change?
