Recently, general food service workers across the nation went on strike in order to protest low wages and lack of benefits, calling for an increase of the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour. Many in the media were quick to point out that these are unskilled positions that should not be highly paid, and are not what many consider to be careers. Furthermore, anecdotally, several of my highly-trained cook and chef peers (excluding executive and sous chefs) expressed resentment over the proposed raise in pay for all food service laborers, feeling that it diminished their own worth as more skilled kitchen workers, as the suggested $15 per hour is equal to or greater than their current pay rate in this area, no matter their years of restaurant cooking expertise or culinary schooling.

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