Evaluation of the Relationship between Occupational Burnout and Food Disgust in Professional Chefs

We aimed to examine the association between occupational burnout and food disgust among professional chefs working in restaurants, hotels, and catering services in Turkey.

This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 1, 2024, and April 1, 2025, using a convenience sampling method. Participants included 279 professional chefs working in restaurants, hotels, and catering services across Turkey, as well as those presenting to outpatient clinics affiliated with our institution. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older, had at least one year of professional culinary experience, and were currently employed in a food service setting.

The average burnout score was 3.88 ± 1.69, measured on a 7-point scale (1 = no burnout, 7 = severe burnout). The mean food disgust score was 119.9 ± 45.54 on a 32-192 scale, with higher scores indicating greater food disgust sensitivity. Participants with critical burnout reported significantly elevated food disgust compared to those in lower burnout categories (P=0.001). Robust regression confirmed burnout as an independent predictor of food disgust (β=4.263, P=0.008), whereas demographic and occupational variables were not significantly associated with either outcome.

This study provides evidence of an association between occupational burnout and food disgust among professional chefs. However, due to the cross-sectional design, no causal inferences can be made. Findings should therefore be interpreted with caution, and future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify temporal relationships.