Thursday, February 26, 2026

Serving Up Love in the Kitchen

A simple “thank you” or compliment for a job well done goes a long way in creating peace and building a stronger workplace community

Ontario Healthcare Healthcare

By Aren Plante, Representative, Grimsby Member Centre

It’s not unusual for me to get a call from a steward, or even an employer, asking for help to mediate a conflict in the kitchen. Working in healthcare is undeniably challenging, but being a cook or dietary aide in a long term care or retirement home brings its own unique set of pressures.

Unlike other roles in healthcare, kitchen staff spend nearly all their time working together in one shared, often hot and noisy space. There’s little chance to step away or work independently for long. It’s a fast-paced environment where teamwork is everything and where small frustrations can sometimes boil over.

I’m an extrovert and love being around people, but I remember my own summers working in kitchens, and my nearly 10 years at Wendy’s. For a student from a small community, suddenly working alongside people of many ages, backgrounds, and stories was a big learning experience. And I learned quickly that when things get busy, tensions can rise. That’s where I first discovered the importance of staying calm under pressure, being aware of my own feelings, and supporting my teammates.

CLAC’s constitution says one of the union’s key practices is to “employ measures and practices that minimize the occurrence of unnecessary labour disputes, and, if disputes do arise, promote mechanisms and procedures for peaceful and just settlement.” While we often think of conflict in the workplace as something that happens between employers and employees, we also know that disagreements can arise between coworkers and even between fellow union members.

When I’m helping to resolve a disagreement between members, I try to use restorative practices, like radical empathy. That means not just listening to reply but truly trying to understand one another’s experiences. As my therapist likes to remind me, we may not be responsible for someone else’s feelings, but we can still honour them.

This idea reflects CLAC’s collaborative approach: seeking common ground, showing grace, and working toward understanding. Even if two cooks have very different ways of preparing a meal, there’s always room for patience, respect, and appreciation. A simple “thank you” or compliment for a job well done goes a long way in creating peace and building a stronger workplace community.

In the end, serving up love in the kitchen isn’t only about the meals we prepare. It’s about how we care for one another while we do it.

Serving Up Love in the Kitchen

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