Michelin chef warns social-media drift

Will Murray, the chef-owner of Fallow in London, says some young cooks are skipping classic kitchen training to chase social-media careers. (thenyjournals.com) Murray said the volume of cooking content online means people now look for knowledge “elsewhere other than old school methods,” including catering college and apprenticeships. He said videos can make kitchen work look easier than it is. (thenyjournals.com) He said apprenticeships are struggling “up and down the country” to attract young talent. Murray argued that a hard first job in a professional kitchen can follow when new cooks arrive with expectations shaped by Instagram clips. (thenyjournals.com) Murray made the case while backing chef competitions as a training route. He said Fallow has put cooks through contests because the pressure teaches them to work at a high level. (thenyjournals.com) That argument lines up with how the competitions market themselves. S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy says applications for its 2026-27 competition are open, and the program is designed to identify young chefs and accelerate their professional development. (sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com 1) (sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com 2) Another traditional route was in the news this month: the Roux Scholarship named Harrison Brockington, 28, head chef and owner of Gather in Totnes, Devon, as its 2026 winner. The prize includes a three-month stage at a three-Michelin-star restaurant. (rouxscholarship.co.uk) (restaurantonline.co.uk) Mentorship groups in the United States are making the same pitch. Ment’or said its 2026 Young Chef and Commis Competitions in Las Vegas were built to give young cooks professional opportunities and exposure to chefs including Thomas Keller and Jérôme Bocuse. (venetianlasvegas.com) Other Michelin-starred chefs have voiced similar concerns before. In April 2024, Marcus Wareing said young chefs should “build a foundation” before trying to build a name on TikTok or Instagram. (telegraph.co.uk) Murray is not arguing that chefs should ignore the internet. He said Fallow has had an easier time hiring than some rivals, and the restaurant’s Instagram account has about 1.5 million followers. (thenyjournals.com) His warning is narrower than that: a viral audience can help a restaurant, but it does not replace the repetition, pressure and mentorship that competitions and apprenticeships are built to provide. (thenyjournals.com) (venetianlasvegas.com)