Kitchen staff cooking up a sweat in the heatwave

As the UK swelters through another summer heatwave, Josh Gorroño Chapman spoke to kitchen staff feeling the burn as conditions push temperatures – and tempers – to the limit.

“Just remember, we’re hot too,” says John Leedham at Salt and Pepper Club in Hull’s Paragon Arcade.

“We hear it all day,” he explains. “Customers will come in and they’ll go upstairs and they’re like, ‘Ah, it’s too hot in here.’

“And it’s like, yeah, but I’m working in here. I know it’s hot too. We don’t need reminding it’s hot.”

The restaurant manager is one of many workers across the city trying their best to stay cool while making food.

“We just try and get as much ventilation through as we can but, other than that, there’s not much we can do.”

“It’s just one of those things,” he explains, “but it can get unbearable sometimes.”

Ryan Albano, head chef at Chinese Whispers over on Humber Street, would seem to agree.

“We keep popping outside from time to time to get that fresh air,” he sighs.

The kitchen is a hive of activity as they prepare for the lunchtime rush.

While a new sous chef makes fresh noodles, Ryan chops onions and tomatoes.

Gesturing to the extractor fans, he explains that, when they have lots of orders on the go, it can get very warm indeed.

“These cannot take it, so we have to leave that door open just to get that breeze.”

Ryan shares some advice for customers.

“Just come with the thinnest layers that you’ve got,” he laughs.

“The food’s good, but it’s gonna be hot.”

Rachel Stainton from Boss Burrito in Hull’s Trinity Market calls for patience.

“It is hot, it is busy, so try not to get cranky if we take a little bit longer than normal, but generally we’re working at the same speed.

“We might just stop to have more water than normal.”

As she chats to me, building birria burritos, I can feel the heat from the grills that are permanently on. But Ms Stainton still manages to stay positive.

“It’s not too bad. We’ve got the doors open. There’s a nice breeze,” she smiles. “It’s warm whatever the weather in a kitchen.”

“I’m a summer person. I hate the winter. Bring on the heatwave.”

Temperatures are expected to cool to about 20C next week, but, until then, it’s doors open, extractor fans on, and snatched breaths of fresh air for the workers cooking through this latest scorching spell.