My long-held opinion that chefs, bartenders and anyone who works in hospitality or has a deep love for food is inherently sexy has always been pretty a polarising one. My partner, who worked as a bartender for 13 years, has never understood my lust for what he describes as “sweaty, skinny dudes with cornflour down their pants”.
I’ve never tried to nut out why working in hospo makes a person hotter, but it seems more and more people are starting to see my side.
A poll of the PEDESTRIAN.TV office’s tastes confirmed that sure, not everyone has chef fever, but it’s a decreasingly polarising opinion. 26 people agreed that anyone who works in hospo had an undeniable extra allure — only 15 disagreed.
Chefs like Anthony Bourdain, Marco Pierre White (in his youth) and even Colette from Pixar’s Ratatouille have long been revered as at least pretty hot. But it seems now’s a good time to get a kitchen job because the thirst for food and drink lovers has been thrust further into the mainstream recently.
It started with TV show The Bear which premiered in June. Jeremy Allen White is a moderately attractive, 5’7” white man with sad eyes. There’s really no reason he should be a Hollywood heartthrob. But give him a Chicago accent, throw him in an emotionally-charged, high-pressure environment surrounded by fire, tattoo his rippling forearms, put him in a tight white t-shirt and an apron, pour sweat down his brow and tussle his long hair… Dear God, I actually need to stop.
It is probably the sexiest thing I have ever watched in bed. No, I’m serious.
That was until Emma D’Arcy described their favourite drink.
A negroni… sbagliato… with prosecco in it.
My chest is pounding. There’s a lump in my throat. I feel very… fidgety.
Nothing and no one appeals to me anymore unless they’re Emma D’Arcy or Jeremy Allen White.
So what is it about chefs and hospo that’s such a turn-on?
Loving food is like loving sex; it’s an interest purely in the pursuit of pleasure. Enjoying a meal or talking about something delicious you once ate or drank elicits the same silky body language and smooth voice one might use during or to describe other pleasurable encounters. Like if that’s the voice D’Arcy uses to describe a drink, what are they like when they’re actually flirting? Oof.
i could listen to emma darcy say ‘with prosecco in it’ all day
— maybe: malaika (@youngdumbhijabi) October 6, 2022
A love for and knowledge of food and drink also shows a degree of confidence, culture and interest in the world around you; a willingness and desire to explore, try new things and enjoy life. All very hot qualities. And let’s be real, the biggest turn-off in the whole world is being a fussy eater. Grow up.
For those who’ve actually pursued jobs in hospitality: well for one, you probably have a fair amount of physical strength from being on your feet all day. Shaking cocktails, flipping pans and constantly hauling around heavy stuff. White’s muscles in The Bear melted me like butter on a skillet.
Obviously. I’m not naive and I know working in kitchens can be (and is mostly) toxic AF. Like we see in The Bear, the stress can push people to breaking point, the long hours can drain the life out of you and venues are often cesspits of abuse, harassment and exploitation.
But there’s something about the passion, drive, dedication and love that goes into cooking that makes people who choose it for their careers alluring.
And anyone who wants to take me out for a Martini — even better if it’s at their friend’s bar — will always get the privilege of my attention.
