Jonathan, 18, started an apprenticeship as a chef six months ago. He has been vegan for almost a year out of conviction. In this short interview, he gives us a little insight into his thoughts and his work.

Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship as a chef?

Because I wanted to have a foundation after dropping out of school, and an apprenticeship as a chef was an obvious choice for me, as food plays a central role in my life.

What does the kitchen team think of your vegan diet?

They know nothing about it.

Why?

When I was asked during lunch at my first trial apprenticeship in another company why I don’t eat meat, I replied that I eat a vegan diet. I was then asked into the boss’s office a little later. He explained to me that he doesn’t want to take on apprentices who don’t eat meat.

Didn’t he think much of your lifestyle?

No, that wasn’t the point, he found it problematic if the chef couldn’t stand behind the product with full conviction. At a buffet, for example, you have to be able to represent the product to the guest. And of course the chef also has to season his food, whether it’s vegan or not.

There are also vegetarian restaurants like Hiltl, why didn’t you apply for an apprenticeship there? apprenticeship there?

There is no vegetarian cooking theory at all, and we don’t even need to talk about a vegan one. According to the regulations, a chef must be comprehensively trained, and since meat is a great pleasure for most people, a vegetarian cooking course would be too one-sided. Since vegetarian restaurants are also rather rare, a purely vegetarian trained chef would have great difficulty finding a job, so I understand this regulation. This would probably only change if the demand for vegetarian dishes were to increase.
What is it like for you to have to eat animals, dairy products and eggs as part of your work?

Unlike other vegans, I’m not disgusted, but I’m not entirely sure if my behavior is inconsistent. Outside of work, I eat an exclusively vegan diet, but I sometimes wonder whether it’s right to separate work and leisure in this way. After all, I could have chosen a different profession. However, I could imagine that I could achieve more after completing my training.

How do you envision your professional future?

I could imagine working in a vegetarian/vegan restaurant if the opportunity arose. I am also considering launching a vegan restaurant. Considering that veganism is on the rise, this could well be an option, especially as demand is likely to increase.